


Dragon Ball SH (Saiyan History)

by Black_Star_Princess



Category: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Z
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-05-08 06:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5486489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Star_Princess/pseuds/Black_Star_Princess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While fleeing Planet Vegeta, a small group of saiyans wind up on Earth. In an effort to lay low, they build a base here and do their best not to raise their power levels any higher than they already are so Frieza's U scouter (a scouter than can scan a galaxy sized space around his ship at a time) won't pick them up. They slowly begin to take over the Earth, even enlisting the Red Ribbon Army to do much of their bidding for them. When Goku discovers them he wants nothing to do with their evil ways, but everywhere little Goku goes he is often mistaken for them due to his tail. That doesn't stop him from trying to stop their villainy (even though he is no match for them)... yet... Meanwhile Vegeta grows up with a pure Saiyan Fiance? With such a strong and well-bred woman at his side will he still end up with Bulma? And should his heart stray will his saiyan fiance put up with it? In the end who will Vegeta inevitably choose? A pure Saiyan Princess or this blue haired Earth girl?</p><p><b>Summary of CH1 to CURRENT:</b> Bulma, Goku, Vegeta, and Veilah go searching for the dragonballs to bring back Goku's Grandpa Gohan. But it seems Vegeta and Veilah have other plans on what they'll use the Dragon Balls for...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Home, Planet Earth

Veilah sat on her knees allowing one of the slave girls to brush her long black hair. Her tail was swishing menacingly behind her and the woman couldn't help but eye it fearfully as the small child hummed a low tune. The door opened and in entered her mother dressed in Saiyan armor. "Are you ready Veilah?" she asked.

The girl stood turning to her mother. Her armor matched her mother's and flowing from the back was a light blue cape and the emblem of the royal family on her breast plate. "I am fully prepared to meet my future husband."

"Then let's hurry, we cannot keep King Vegeta waiting."

"Of course mother," she said walking to the door where she stopped turning around to face the slave girl. She held out her hand and fired and energy blast that missed her head by inches. The woman fell to the ground pleading for her life in her native tongue. A language Veilah did not know, nor care to understand. "Next time if you take this long, it'll be your head."

With that she hurried off down the hall grabbing her Mother's hand. Most parents did not raise their children. In fact it was considered strange to have anything to do with the bringing up of a child. There were doctors for that sort of thing who cared for baby Saiyans until they were sent off to new planets and retrieved upon reaching adulthood. Though the royal children were different…special. They remained with their parents at all times so as to gain as much knowledge from them as possible. Veilah was not royalty…yet. She had been chosen at birth to be Prince Vegeta's future bride. So she and her parents were given a special place in the Palace in order to raise and prepare Veilah to be the best wife she could be.

After all, this was Prince Vegeta we we're talking about. He deserved a wife filled with admiration, respect, intelligence, power, and most importantly _Saiyan Pride_. Veilah was raised to possess all these qualities and now she would meet face to face with her future husband for the first time…

* * *

"Why is everyone being called back to Planet Vegeta exactly?" Seripa asked Bardock over the intercom of their space pod.

"They want to announce the future Queen of Planet Vegeta," Bardock explained. "King Vegeta wants everyone there to meet her."

"My, so the young Prince is getting married is he?" Panpukin pondered.

"He's been married," Toma explained. "Veilah was picked for him at birth. This little gathering is just to make it official."

"Since we have a day off we might as well head to the training arena after the announcement is over," Bardock explained. "Who thinks they can take me in a one on one?"

"I'll take you up on that Bardock," Totepo's voice said interjecting into the radio call.

"It's settled then, see you there," Bardock grinned leaning back in his pod. He looked up just in time to see another space pod go shooting by him in the opposite direction.

"Bardock wasn't that your son they just sent off?" Toma asked.

"Who knows," Bardock said uncaringly.

"What was his name anyway?" Seripa's voice asked.

"Whatever name they gave him," Bardock responded indifferently.

Toma blinked, though not at all surprised at the response Bardock gave over the intercom. "You didn't even bother to ask did you?"

"I don't like kids," Bardock explained. "When he grows up he can tell me his name then."

Seripa watched the space pod zoom by her ship. "Bye little Bardock's son," she smiled until the ship disappeared from view.

* * *

"It's the perfect time," Frieza was explaining to his henchmen. "All the little monkeys will be back on their home planet for their mediocre little celebration of Vegeta's betrothed. Then I'll be rid of them all for good."

The alien held a wine glass in his hand taking pleasure in swishing the contents around in the glass before sipping.

"This would be the time to do it," Dodoria agreed. It was always best to agree with their Lord in any situation.

"You've been planning their execution for a while now, I'm glad to see it finally getting done. At last we'll be rid of the monkey trash," Zarbon explained with a tone of relief.

"Well then set a course for Planet Vegeta so we can be rid of them once and for all."

His servants left quickly to complete the task.

* * *

Prince Vegeta stood by his Father's throne fully dawned in his Princely gear. His arms were folded and he stood as though uncaring. Even at the young age of five he still had the demeanor of appearing quite threatening.

"Is she here yet?" King Vegeta asked one of the servants impatiently.

"They're on their way," he explained. "Sir, as to the topic of Paragus' son…"

"Kill him, I already told you."

"Yes Sir," he said bowing just as the curtains were pushed aside and Veilah and her Mother entered both falling to one knee and bowing.

"Your highness, Prince Vegeta," her mother began before rising. "I present to you my daughter Veilah."

At this Veilah rose to her feet. Her dark eyes blinking as she looked upon Prince Vegeta. He looked powerful a spitting image of his father with dark hair and cold eyes. This was her husband, her Lord, her God…

"I shall leave the two of you to get acquainted," King Vegeta explained swishing his cape out behind him he left the room with Veilah's mother, and the two were alone.

"What is your power level?" Prince Vegeta snapped immediately.

"Only about a thousand below your own, Vegeta-sama," she answered.

"What is your goal?" he asked.

"To ensure all of yours are fulfilled."

His eyebrows rose slightly, "Who is our enemy?"

Veilah narrowed her eyes, "Frieza."

"…"

"…"

The two stared each other down, neither blinking, neither moving. At last Prince Vegeta spoke. "I suppose you'll do."

"I will do my best to please you."

After staring at her only a moment longer he turned mimicking his father's cape swishing before heading towards the door. "Come along, let's get this over with."

"Yes Vegeta-sama," she inclined her head as he walked by and she took mimicked the cape swishing before following in his wake.

CRASH! A loud explosion erupted causing both Vegeta and Veilah to fall upon the floor. "What the—"

Vegeta wasted no time in jumping to his feet and hurrying towards the balcony where his Father was sure to be. It was where they had planned to address their army for the announcement. He came to a screeching halt at the entrance to the balcony. His father was standing there. Frieza floating just above him smiling cruelly, he was smirking.

"You don't like it, it's just a few fireworks to celebrate your son's big day," Frieza said chuckling slightly to himself.

Vegeta glanced to the side. A large portion of their palace had been destroyed. It had actually been the nursery ward where the young Saiyans were kept until shipped off to other planets. Clearly they were dead. He had no particular feeling about it, but was furious that Frieza had had the gull to do such a thing. He was not powerful enough to take him on however. Clenching his fist and lowering his brow he walked up beside his Father.

"Ah and here is the little man of the hour," Frieza said turning to him. "How are you Prince Vegeta?"

"…"

"Aw, you're not even going to say hello to me, how very rude."

"Vegeta!" his father snapped and the young Prince bowed.

"My Lord," he said before rising to his feet.

"That's more like it," Frieza nodded before turning back to the King. "I actually have some really good news for you King Vegeta. I will no longer be requiring your services in the Planet trade. You and your people will be permitted to do as you please from this day forth."

King Vegeta said nothing, but merely glared up at him.

"My, I figured you would be jumping for joy at the thought of no longer having to serve me. Are you not thrilled?"

"…ecstatic," the King snapped.

"Don't you think it would be appropriate to thank me? Come now," he said.

Letting out a low sigh King Vegeta, his son, and Veilah all bowed to Frieza at the same time whispering low phrases of appreciation. "Well I shall remember this day well, and I'll be sure to send you your going away present as a thank you for all your years of hard work."

With that Frieza's cart slowly back up to space.

"Did he really just free us?" Veilah asked. It seemed too good to be true.

"Don't be foolish, Frieza never lets anyone leave his service with their lives. He must be planning to destroy us. There is no other explanation. You two, hurry!" King Vegeta rushed back into the palace leading the way towards the space pods. He instructed Vegeta and Veilah to get inside. Prince Vegeta being only five and Little Veilah only 4 they fit perfectly in one. Vegeta programmed the ship to go to the last coordinates put into the mainframe.

"I'll follow you two shortly," he explained before stepping back the door to the space pod closing.

"Vegeta-sama?" Veilah questioned before the sleeping gas filled the ship and both children fell unconscious as the ship took off to outer space…

* * *

Vegeta blinked as the door to his space pod opened. Fresh air swept in waking the children from their sleep. He looked up to find his father standing his arms crossed as Nappa helped him from the ship. He immediately pulled his hand from Nappa turning to his father. "What's going on?"

"Planet Vegeta has been destroyed, son," King Vegeta explained bluntly. No use sugar coating a horrible situation such as this. "Frieza destroyed our home world. It's gone."

"Then where are we?" he spat glaring around the lush green planet they were on. It was nothing like Planet Vegeta.

"We were sent to the last location programmed into the database," a voice behind explained. He turned. Seripa was sitting on the top of her space pod her hands pulling one knee to her chest. "This planet is called Earth Prince Vegeta."

"Are we the only ones who got away?" the little Prince snapped. Speaking as with the same authority as King Vegeta.

"I sent Bardock to scout the planet since we don't have any scouters at the moment," Nappa explained. "Other than him what you see is all that's left."

"We don't have scouters?"

"Uhh… no," Nappa sighed.

Vegeta glanced at the people gather in the empty field. His Father, Nappa, Seripa, Bardock, Veilah. He and these five Saiyans were all that was left of his entire race. His Father looked down Prince Vegeta. "We are still the strongest race in existence my Son, and we shall continue, even from this planet if we have to."

Vegeta grinned. "I never doubted that for a second Father. We shall wait here and train, and take revenge upon Frieza. His day will come, and I will avenge our people with my own two hands."

Prince Vegeta tightened his fists in anger. King Vegeta couldn't have been more proud. "I am certain you will one day my son."

The sound of boots hitting ground alerted their attention as Bardock landed behind them stepping forward.

"So how does this planet look?" Nappa asked.

"We're currently on a large island, but the planet isn't that big in general. It's Green, plenty of animals and plant life. The inhabitants themselves are weak in comparison," Bardock explained explained.

"Great, let's clear out the planet and—"

"Not a good idea Nappa," Seripa called.

"I don't need conquering advice from a low level like you Seripa," Nappa snapped.

"Fine," she answered. "Lure Frieza here then."

"Explain yourself," King Vegeta commanded.

"He scans planets within light years of his ship. When the population drops drastically his men take it as an invitation because planets are easier to conquer if the population is already in danger. Weak planets such as this slip below the radar much of the time until that happens, so if we go wiping out the population we could probably expect some of Frieza's men to swarm down on us."

"Good idea Seripa, we don't need Frieza noticing us before we're ready for our revenge," King Vegeta explained. "For now the inhabitants are to remain untouched."

"Ahh…" Nappa complained instantly.

"When the day comes that we need to alert him, I'll give you the honors of wiping out the planet's inhabitants. How's that?" King Vegeta asked.

"I suppose I can handle that. Though do we have to keep them all alive?"

"An inhabitant or two now and then will cause no harm," King Vegeta explained and Nappa did look much happier about the situation now.

"Let us get to work and make this place livable for us at least. I demand a palace. Go ahead and put the inhabitants of the island to work for us as slaves and build a home worth of your King."

"Yes," his subjects answered bowing before hurrying off to set out at their tasks.

Veilah, who had remained silent, while listening to it all clenched her fist. So this was her first true trial as the future wife of Prince Vegeta? Well, she would prove herself. If it was revenge Vegeta wanted, revenge he would have. She would make sure of it.

* * *

Twelve years later and the Saiyans had managed to remain relatively unnoticed to most of the Earthlings on the planet other than the small group they had enslaved to build and run the daily goings on of the Saiyan Palace that had been created. They had also enlisted (well more like taken over) the Red Ribbon Army, which was doing much of their enslaving work for them so they wouldn't have to raise their power level and be detected by Frieza. Thus, twelve years of unimaginable boredom had cause seventeen year old Prince Vegeta to grow edgy. He hated hiding, it was cowardly and not at all like Saiyan. The Earthlings were annoying as well, a bunch of pathetic weaklings.

"Vegeta-sama!" Veilah called walking over to him. She had grown up in the last twelve years. She was just a little shorter than himself. Her hair was in a long choppy sort of style. Her tail wrapped around her small waist like a belt. She was wearing a feminized version of Saiyan armor that covered her breasts and left her tone stomach open. A pair of light blue pants that was long on one side and short on the other, and she wore a pair of Saiyan boots that reached just above her ankles. "There is going to be a full Moon tonight. I've ordered the slaves to pull down the protective blinds."

"…"

Her eyebrows lowered. Her poor future husband, so many worries, not to mention being stuck up on this god forsaken planet. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist in an effort to console him, though he pulled away immediately.

"Vegeta-sama?"

"Go find something to do Veilah," he ordered before leaving the room.

* * *

"He's bored!" she snapped three hours later as she stood before King Vegeta's throne. "Let us go out tonight since it's a full moon. A night of destruction will get Prince Vegeta-sama back to his old self."

"And what do we do if Frieza just happens to be monitoring Earth this very night?" King Vegeta asked.

"I don't care. Frieza is second on my list of concerns. Prince Vegeta-sama comes first and foremost. He needs to get out."

"If Prince Vegeta want's something to kill so bad I'll gather up some of the human and he can go kill them all here," Nappa suggested.

Veilah folded her arms, "You know it's not the same!"

"Well we can't have—"

CRASH! The resounding boom came from outside. They rushed to the veiled window looking out. A giant ape was off in the distance carrying on a ruckus and blasting ki blasts from it's mouth.

"So, you were actually trying to distract me while Vegeta went out to play huh?" King Vegeta snapped.

"No your highness, Prince Vegeta-sama is—" she began but broke off as Prince Vegeta's voice interrupted hers.

"What was that?" he asked as he walked into the throne room.

"We're all here," Bardock pointed out. "So who is this exactly?"

"Bardock, it must be your son," Seripa gasped as she watched the ape in midst of its destruction. "Remember, your son was sent away from Planet Vegeta the night it was destroyed. It has to be him."

"That weakling Kakarot?" Nappa asked. He remembered him because the doctors at the nursery had been making fun of how low his power level had been at birth.

"Kakarot?" It was Bardocks first time hearing his son's name.

Seripa smiled, "Well, seems there is another one of us after all."

* * *

"We shall wait until morning, and then we shall retrieve him. There are so few of us, all Saiyans must be in service to me," King Vegeta said commanded before turning to leave.

"What if Frieza's sensors pick up on him?" Seripa asked.

"Then we'll all be dead so it won't really matter in the end now will it?" Bardock explained pointing out the obvious.

Veilah folded her arms furiously eyeing the ape. He was so far away you could only just tell it was actually a transformed Saiyan. So now this brat gets to play outside while my Prince is trapped here hiding. This won't do at all...

* * *

The moment the sun began to rise Bardock and Seripa set out to find the child. Even without scouters it wasn't that hard. They just followed the path of crushed trees to a tiny house in the middle of nowhere. They landed outside the door.

An elderly man was inside, they could hear his talking. "Poor Goku," he was saying. Bardock and Seripa walked over to the door sliding it open silently. The old man was crouched beside the bed with a cloth and a bowl of water at his feet. He was patting the Saiyan child's head softly when he suddenly looked up.

"Oh hello," he said getting to his feet. "Who might you two be?"

Seripa pushed her way inside. "We're here for the kid."

"Huh? You mean Goku?" The old man turned back looking at the unconscious child lying exhausted in the bed.

"He's coming with us," Bardock turned heading over to him only to have his path blocked by the old man who stood smiling up at him.

"Wait, he's sleeping. He had an ordeal last night," the man explained. "How about we wait for him to wake up and I'll make us all some food. Goku almost always wakes up from the smell."

"Bardock," Seripa said softly eyeing him.

"Right," Bardock answered and he held two fingers out to the old men shooting an energy blast. Though it went into the wall, the old man had moved so fast he was able to dodge it. Bardock blinked. So maybe all Earthlings weren't as weak as he thought. He turned the man was now standing in front of Goku's bed.

"You must be related to Goku in some way judging by your tails. However there is evil in your hearts and I cannot allow Goku to fall into the hands of people like you," he said moving his hands to this sides palms facing each other. "Ka…me…ha—"

Bardock blinked. This Earthling wasn't honestly about to throw a ki blast was he. They truly were not as weak as he had originally thought. "…me…ha!"

The blast went straight towards him though it was weak. Bardock knocked it to the side and it blasted through the wall of the house. "That was your last mistake!"

He held his hand out shooting a ki blast through the old man's chest. The man collapsed…dead.

"Grab the brat," Bardock snapped turning to leave. Seripa stepped over the body grabbing the child putting him under her arm. She stopped when her eyes caught the sight of a smooth orange orb with four stars.

"What have we here?" she asked picking it up and starring at it.

"Hurry up Seripa!"

"Tsk," she scoffed letting the orb fall to the ground she walked outside and nodded to Bardock. The two took off back towards the palace.

* * *

Blinking Goku opened his eyes. He was lying on a metal slab in a room surrounded with shining and blinking lights. He sat up smiling. They were pretty and caught the child's attention. He jumped down heading over to a panel where the largest number of lights were. He found the lights were click able. Grinning he took pleasure in making them click as he pushed them.

"Quit hitting those buttons. You don't know what they do," a voice snapped behind him.

He spun around taking out his nioybo aiming it in Seripa's direction. She and the other saiyans had entered.

She blinked. "Don't be an idiot put that away."

"Who are you?" Goku asked eying her.

"Seripa," she answered. "And I have good news for you; I was able to find out your name. It's Kakarot."

She took a seat in one of the chairs and Goku walked over to her. "You're wrong. My name is Goku."

The doors opened and King Vegeta walked in with his son and Veilah.

"So he is awake," King Vegeta said looking down at little Goku. "From this day on you are a member of my army. You shall live here and you will serve me without question."

Goku used his tail to pull him up to sit on the desk panel in the room. He looked away as though deep in thought and then turned back smiling. "That's alright, I don't really want to."

"…"

The room grew silent. Everyone was staring at the small boy. Seripa's mouth was slightly agape. No one. Not one single Saiyan had ever refused a direct command from King Vegeta himself.

"What did you say?" Veilah snapped. She felt like slapping the boy.

Goku jumped down putting his nioybo back in its sheath. "I really have to get home to my Grandpa, he's probably worried about me. See ya later," Goku said started heading back.

"Don't let him leave!" Vegeta snapped. Veilah extended her palm towards him preparing to shoot. Seripa jumped to attention.

"No need for that," Seripa said dully. "Hey Kid are you hungry?"

Goku stopped immediately mid-step and looked up at her.

"We have a feast waiting," Seripa added, and Goku's face looked even more interested. "If you stay you can have some."

"A feast!" Goku paused thinking. "Okay, I'll go home after."

"Great I'll lead you to it then," Seripa said as she walked by the royal family she turned to them. "With little Saiyans you can get them to do anything if you appeal to their love of violence and their love of food."

With that she walked over to Goku and lead him to the dining room. The large table the Saiyans sat at every day to eat was in the center. People were bringing out trays and trays of food setting it out before them.

"Wha!" Goku cheered jumping up on one of the chairs which started to spin as soon as he climbed on it. Having not expected the chair to do that he lost his balance and fell on the floor. "Whoa, the chair spins."

He climbed up on it again grabbing hold of the edge of the table he pushed off from it making the chair spin around and around.

"…" Seripa sighed grabbing the chair making it come to a stop. "Please eat until you're full."

He began diving in immediately. Bear chops, centipede stew, so many wonderful foods. They tasted incredible too. Goku noticed there were people standing by the wall with their heads bent down not daring to look up. Goku blinked his mouth full of food. He quickly swallowed. "Hey, are you guys hungry? There is plenty here for everyone."

The people looked slightly panicked at being addressed by him. Did people usually act like this? Goku hadn't had the chance to be around other people besides his Grandpa. These people were weird, "Are they okay?"

Seripa took a seat beside him. "We don't normally invite slaves to eat with us Kakarot."

"What's a slave?" he asked as he started drinking the soup's juice.

"Never mind, that isn't important," Seripa said. "Listen, here we serve King Vegeta and it's important that you do your best to serve him as well."

"I don't really want to. It sounds like it will interfere with my training," he explained.

Seripa blinked. She was beginning to understand little Kakarot more. "I see, but listen. If you stay here you will have all kinds of training, and you'll be incredibly strong."

"Really!" he grinned. "Incredibly strong huh? Well, I'll have to let my Grandpa know."

This boy was and odd one that was certain. He didn't act like any Saiyan child she had ever met (aside from liking food of course). Bardock entered the room laying eyes on his son. Kakarot took a lot after his looks it would seem.

"Does he understand the situation yet?" Bardock asked.

"I think he's grasping it," Seripa answered.

"So you can't get your hair to lay flat either?" Goku asked through a mouthful of food.

Bardock blinked at him. "What?"

"You hair sticks up like mine. Grandpa tried many times to comb it flat but it just doesn't want to. I guess yours doesn't either," he said before grabbing another plate full of some unrecognizable meat.

"Kakarot don't you know who this is?" Seripa asked.

Goku stopped his chewing to look up at the man blinking. Bardock looked more than a little annoyed. He swallowed. "No, but don't feel bad I don't know many people. I've lived in the mountains with my Grandpa my whole life and people don't usually come all the way out our way."

Seripa couldn't believe the boy. "Tsk, look Kakarot can you fight?"

"Uh…sure. Grandpa Gohan taught me lots of techniques," he explained.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to teach you how to fight like a Saiyan if all the training you've had is by these Earthlings. C'mon."

"Are we going fight?" Goku asked.

Bardock nodded.

"Alright," he threw a few more platefuls of food down his throat before jumping from his chair and rushing over to him.

"C'mon, the training area is on the floor below," Bardock explained waiving his hand for Goku to follow. "We'll see if you can actually be of any help to King Vegeta."

"Wow, training. This will be like when me and Grandpa train right? So what move is your favorite? I like punches because you can break rocks and knock fruit down from trees and—"

"Don't talk so much kid," Bardock snapped.

"Oh…" he looked down before suddenly smiling again. "Okay, I guess talking can get in the way of training right?"

Bardock sighed. What was wrong with this kid, he acted so odd. Bardock opened the door leading to the training area. "Alright show me what you can do."

Goku ran inside stopping at the sight of a wolf with a leash chained to the ground in the center of the room. It was trying pull free desperately.

"Oh gosh, what's wrong with you little guy?" Goku asked heading over to the wolf who was fearfully trying to back up but could only go so far because of the chain.

"Show me on the creature every fighting technique you know," Bardock ordered.

"Wha?" he turned. "But look at him. He's terrified. He needs to be let go."

"We have a whole collection of creatures we train with. I picked a smaller one because I didn't know what level you were at. Just do your best to kill it."

"Kill it? It didn't do anything to me, why would I kill it?" Goku explained.

Seriously, what was wrong with this boy? He didn't like to kill. "It's not your place to ask questions Kakarot just kill the damn thing."

Goku jumped back pulling out his nioybo faced Bardock holding it out. "First off let's get this straight. My name is Goku, and my Grandpa taught me that you don't harm creatures if you can avoid it."

"Don't you want to be powerful and strong?" Bardock snapped. "We're going to train you to be stronger than you ever dreamed. The only way we can do that is if you do as you're told without question."

"I don't want your training if it means hurting innocent creatures!" Goku snapped. He turned swinging his nioybo so it lodged itself in one of the chain links and he twisted it quickly so the link snapped. He hurried over throwing the wolf over his shoulder. "And I'm not going to stay around people who like to hurt things either. Nioybo extend!"

The pole he had grew long and Goku was shot toward the window which he kicked to shatter the glass before he jumped out landing on the ground outside.

Bardock did not attempt to catch him. Not that he couldn't, it would have been all too easy, though the shock of his actions was enough to leave him there speechless. Just…just what was wrong with that boy? As a child he had never passed up the opportunity to kill or maim something.

"Hhmm," he turned heading back to explain the developments to King Vegeta.

* * *

Goku took off into the woods and stopped only when the building was out of sight.

"Gosh that was a close one huh wolfie?" Goku asked setting him on the ground and leaned down beside him. "I guess those people weren't very nice after all huh? You poor thing. Did they hurt you bad?"

The wolf was shaking staring up at him. "You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm not going to hurt you…"

Goku stretched out his hand to pet him and the wolf's eyes glanced over at Goku's tail. Suddenly he growled biting Goku's hand as hard as he could. "Ow!" Goku yelled pulling his hand away and looking at the bite marks. "I'm not one of them…"

The wolf took off running.

"Gosh, he must have really been scared. Poor thing, I don't blame him. I'd be scared too if someone locked me away to be used me as target practice. Though he didn't have to that," he blew on his hand to get the stinging to stop.

* * *

"A Saiyan child who does not like to kill…I've never heard of such a thing," King Vegeta repeated slowly to himself after Bardock had explained the situation. "This is not acceptable. We cannot have one of our own ruining our reputations as the most powerful and feared race in existence. He must be taken care of."

"If you don't mind Father, I'd like to study him," Prince Vegeta interrupted.

"Study him?"

"We don't know how that child got the way he is. It could be something in the Planets air for all we know. He should be examined. If we find out a direct cause we can avoid it accordingly. If it is something unavoidable then we may have to find a new planet. If it isn't an affliction that we can acquire as well then we'll just dispose of the runt and be done with him. This would be the best course of action."

"I agree completely," Veilah explained. "I will go with you Prince Vegeta-sama."

"Fine, the two of you are to monitor the boy. Once you determine how he got this way I want you to report back to me before you go with any course of action," King Vegeta commanded.

"Agreed Father," Prince Vegeta said bowing.

"Yes your highness," Veilah said bowing as well.

* * *

"Gosh where did they take me anyway? I've never been here before…" Goku said to himself looking around. He tried sniffing the air as well, though this place didn't even smell familiar to him. "Don't worry Grandpa I'll get back somehow."

He looked up seeing a tall tree nearby. Quickly he climbed up its trunk until he got to the very top and he scanned the area around him. There seemed to be water everywhere around this place. Though another mass of land not too far away, on that land he could just make out a tall waterfall. That must be the waterfall by his house! "I knew I'd figure out how to get back."

Once he got to the waterfall he would have no problem finding his house from there! It was all looking up!

* * *

"Tsk," Vegeta sighed as they head off from the Palace in search of Kakarot. "Where did he go?"

"I'm so happy, we finally get out of that Palace and you can stretch your legs. Even if we do have to tail that little gaki brat it's not a big deal sense we get to get out," she said spinning in circles in the hair, and feeling hair blow out behind her. "So, where do we look for him first?"

"He's obviously heading back to the place we saw him attack the night before. His home must be around there somewhere. That's where we'll find him."

"As you say Vegeta-sama."


	2. Deceased Grandpa Gohan

Goku swam away from the island arriving on the bank of the next land mass in record time. He could just make out the waterfall. It had to be his waterfall. It just had to. Removing his clothes (that had been tied to his head to stay dry) he climbed back into them. Lastly tying off the sash on his blue gi, "Now I'm ready."

He took off running towards the waterfall jumping from rocks to branches and branches to other branches. Until he came to a stop a large cracked rock, blinking he smiled. "Hey I remember you. Yea! I'm almost home!"

He took off at a quickened pace, renewed with the promise of his approaching home rushing along a cleared path, where Vegeta and Veilah spotted him.

"There's that little Saiyan," Veilah said. Extending her hand she shot a key blast at a tree just in front of Goku where he came to a halt falling back just before the tree would have squished him. Vegeta and Veilah landed behind him on the ground.

Goku turned, "It's you two."

He had remembered seeing them when he was back in the building. He stood up glaring in their direction, "What do you two want?"

"We're really sorry for what happened. Bardock can be… aggressive at times. We wanted to apologize and to make sure you get home okay," she lied immediately.

"Who are you guys anyway, you never did explain it to me," Goku still on his guard.

"I am Veilah, and this is my husband Prince Vegeta-sama. We—"

The vrooming sound of a vehicle was heard on the cliff side road below calling Goku's attention. _Takes his eyes away from possible opponents_ , Vegeta noted. The glowing glimpse of something shiny was seen in the hands of the driver. "Wha! Hey!" Goku gasped.

* * *

Bulma held the four star ball in her left hand, the steering wheel in her right. "That was easy," she said to herself. "Gosh, I wonder how that old man died though. Sad, but he isn't going to be using this after all."

"HEY!"

Bulma blinked and looked into the rear-view mirror spotting something chasing her car. "Ah!" she dropped the ball and it rolled onto the floorboards as she floored the pedal. "What is that!"

Between the dust billowing out behind the car and the figure running towards her she couldn't tell what it was. With a stone wall at her left and a cliff on her right she had no option but to go forward. That this was getting closer though. Next thing she knew a red pole shot through her window. Glass went everywhere. It went through the hole in her steering wheel forcing it into a turning position. Next thing she knew her car was heading off the cliff.

Bulma screamed the whole way down to the water and next thing she knew the car was full of water. Quickly she tried to undo her seatbelt holding her breath.

Goku plunged into the water. He had been so worried upon seeing the mechanical monster with his Dragon Ball that it only just became apparent that a person had been holding it. He swam over to her pulling open the door he ripped open her seatbelt and grabbed ahold of her arm pulling her to the surface. He helped her to a nearby bank where she started coughing up water. Once Goku was sure she was okay he dove back in for his nioybo and Orb.

Bulma blinked finally realizing what happened she sat up. Her pink dress was soaked. Her blue braid coming partly undone, she coughed as the boy who had pulled her from the water resurfaced. He climbed up on the bank as well.

"Hey kid! What were you trying to do kill me!" Bulma snapped furiously.

"No not you," Goku said. "That monster that ate you, it ate my Grandpa's orb as well. See."

He showed her the Dragon Ball. "Kid, I hate to tell you this, but that orb as you call it is mine."

"No way," he said. "See, it has four stars on it, that's my Grandpa's ball alright. He'll be very upset if it's lost. I better take it back to him right away."

"Grandpa…oh man," Bulma sighed remembering the old man she had found dead in the house where the dragon ball had been. How could she tell him?

"Well, let's start climbing back up," Goku putting his nioybo back in its sheath and the Dragon Ball in his shirt. He started to climb.

"Hey! What about me?" Bulma snapped.

"What about you?" Goku asked innocently.

"I can't climb up this steep wall!" she snapped.

"Oh," he answered. "No big deal just put your arms around me I'll carry you back up."

"…You're a little kid! You're not going to be able to carry me up there."

"Sure I can, I'm really strong," Goku explained. "Just grab on."

Blinking she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Here we go," Goku said climbing up at a speedy pace up the cliff. Bulma screamed all the way. The six feet from the top Goku used a branch and jumped the rest of the way to the top landing of the cliff standing. Bulma let go the last second and fell on her stomach in the grass.

"See I told you."

Vegeta and Veilah had been watching the whole time at the top of the cliff. Bulma blinked up at them a moment before pulling herself to her feet. The pair were dressed in strange outfits, and they appeared to be around her age. She felt herself blush upon looking at the boy. He was absolutely dreamy! She felt her face burning as he casted a sideways glance her way.

"So who are you?" Goku asked Bulma looking up at her. "My name is Goku."

"Bulma," she answered not taking her eyes off Vegeta.

"This is Vegeta and Veilah," Goku explained. "Well it was nice meeting all of you, but I really have to get back home to Grandpa. See ya!"

He started heading in the direction towards his house.

"Ugh, Kid listen I need to talk to you. Your Grandpa—"

"He must be really worried. I've never been away for this long before," Goku explained.

"Yeah… no listen. Your Grandpa… he…" she sighed. There really was no decent way to put this. "Uh... Your Grandfather is dead kid. I'm sorry."

"…" Goku stopped in mid-step turning to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he's dead. I'm really sorry. I saw him in your house and—"

"That's not true!" Goku suddenly snapped taking off at a run jumping into a tree and traveling from branch to branch.

"Ah, kid!" Bulma shouted. She gasped when the two others suddenly took off into the air following the child. "Crap!" she snapped reaching into her pocket she pulled out her capsule collection and clicked one throwing it. A motorcycle appeared. She rushed over jumping on she took off after them.

* * *

"Tsk, what a clown," Vegeta sighed folding his arms watching him travel (very much like an ape) through the trees.

"Perhaps his odd personality IS actually a side effect of the atmosphere here on Earth," Veilah suggested as they followed Goku through the air.

"We've been on the planet nearly as long as him, if that were the case we would have been infected as well."

"Yes, but he came here as a baby, maybe that could have something to do with it."

"If we don't figure out what caused this within a few days we will simply eradicate him. A foolhardy Saiyan such as he has no business existing."

"Yes Vegeta-sama, I agree completely," she said nodding.

* * *

Goku's house came into view. He hurried bursting through the doors. His Grandpa laid dead on the floor. Goku blinked feeling tears coming to his eyes, "No... Grandpa... no way..."

"Grandpa…" Goku fell to the floor beside him turning him over. Blood was coming out of his mouth, and also through a hole through his body, but it wasn't a fresh wound... It was old. "Who on Earth, would be strong enough to kill Grandpa?"

He thought his Grandpa was the strongest man on Earth. "It's okay Grandpa… I got you."

He picked him up slinging over his shoulder he half dragged half carried him outside. Vegeta and Veilah landed at the entrance shortly before Bulma pulled up outside. She was surprised that those two were flying. But the situation at hand was more pressing. Goku laid Gohan softly on the ground outside the house.

"Gosh… how sad," Bulma said she walked past Veilah and Vegeta to watch him. Goku began to dig a grave with his bare hands.

"He developed an attachment for that pathetic Earthling. Take note Veilah," Vegeta snapped.

Bulma turned, "What? How could you say that? Aren't you friends with him?"

"Don't confuse me for a friend of that clowns," Vegeta snapped.

"I don't understand just who are you two anyway?"

"We are Saiyans," Veilah explained. "Decedents to the most powerful race in all of history. The same race that he is."

"Saiyan?" Bulma questioned when she heard a soft thump behind her. She turned. Goku had just placed his grandfather in the hole in the ground and began to cover him up. When he finished Goku sat on his knees before the grave clapping his hands together and tilted his head down sitting in a prayer stance. "Grandpa, I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you. Please, rest in peace..."

He lifted his head up staring down. Tears in the corner of his eyes, which he quickly wiped away on his arm, his Grandpa wouldn't have wanted to see him cry. He got to his feet continuing to stare at it. Bulma walked over to him kneeling down making her the same height as Goku. "I'm sorry. What are you going to do?"

"I guess I'll stay here and look after Grandpa's house."

"Wha? You're going to stay here alone?" Bulma asked.

"Sure, why not?"

"Because you're a little kid," she stated as though this settled the point.

Goku shook his head. "I'll be fine."

"No Goku that isn't right," she stood up. "Look, how about you come help me find all the Dragon Balls. We…"

She paused. Bulma would have to give up her wish but… Little Goku just looked so sad…

"We can bring back your Grandpa if we get all seven of these balls together."

Goku blinked. "Huh?"

Bulma pulled the two dragon Balls she had out of her pouch holding it before Goku they began to glow and it made the Dragon Ball in Goku's shirt light up as well. Goku reached in pulling it out and staring at the small orb. "These are the Dragon Balls, and when you gather all seven you can make one wish..."

"A wish really?"

Vegeta and Veilah looked at one another. Were they hearing this Earthling correctly? Surely it was too good to be true.

"Yeah, all seven will give you one wish. We can bring him back with it. What do you say kid?" Bulma asked putting them back into her pouch.

"But… You already had two of them. Didn't you have a wish _you_ were planning to make?" he asked.

"Ugh," she looked nervously away. She couldn't really tell him she had been selfishly planning on wishing for a boyfriend after his Grandfather had died. "It was nothing important Goku. So c'mon, I'll take the next wish."

"… Okay!" Goku said smiling.

"It's settled," Bulma said clapping her hands. She turned to the other two. "Are you Saiyans coming too then?"

Veilah smiled turning to Vegeta. He was smiling as well. She knew they were both thinking the same thing.

Vegeta nodded, "Of course we are."

Goku blinked, "Wait, you're going to help me get my Grandpa back?"

"Sure," Vegeta shrugged. Veilah placed her hand to her mouth covering her grin. Oh her sweet Prince lied so well...

They knew what the plan was, find these Dragon Balls and when it came time to make the wish they would take it for themselves. The wish would of course be to bring back their home planet where they would rise up together and destroy Frieza once and for all. Little did she know, Vegeta had other plans on what to do with this wish.

* * *

"Well now that that's settled," Bulma said reaching into her pack she removed her case of capsules. "Let's see, we'll need something that seats four…unless you guys wanna pull off that flying trick again."

She eyed Vegeta and Veilah. Goku turned to them as well. Never had he seen two more annoyed looking people (then again he hadn't seen that many people either). "You guys can fly! Really show me!"

"We'll ride along in your contraption," Vegeta explained. Last thing he wanted was this clown staring at him flying along behind them.

"Alright then, the convertible it is!" she said pulling out the Hoipoi capsule she clicked it throwing it towards an open space in Goku's yard. Through a puff of smoke a four seat car with no roof appeared. "There we are!" she smiled.

"Wha! Bulma how'd you do that!" Goku gasped. "How did that thing fit in that tiny little space?"

"Get real Goku, this is how everyone travels," Bulma explained getting into the driver's seat. "C'mon you three get in so we can hurry and wish Goku's Grandpa back. Then I can wish for what I was going to…"

Vegeta walked over jumping into the seat beside Bulma where he folded his arms. Bulma stared at him a moment. She thought for sure he was going to sit in the back with that girl he had come with. "What?" Vegeta snapped.

"Uh, nothing," she said. She felt her face growing slightly red. He had funny hair style, but he sure was handsome. Like one of those male models in her magazines. When she wished for her boyfriend she would ask that he have Vegeta's looks.

"Vegeta-sama, I am not sitting in the back with this—" Veilah began pointing at Goku who was tapping various parts of the car with his power pole.

Vegeta glared at her. "Fly along behind us then."

There was evident disappointment at her lack of obedience and she sighed climbing in the back.

"Goku! Hurry it up already! Do you want your Grandpa back or not!" Bulma snapped.

Goku turned to the grave he had made for his Grandpa. "I'll be back soon Grandpa," Goku said before jumping into the seat beside Veilah. Bulma started the vehicle on its way. Goku couldn't have looked more excited he kept looking over the edge at the ground watching little stones go by so fast he could hardly keep his eye on them.

"Goku bring your head in before a tree branch knocks it off your shoulders!" Bulma snapped. "And you might want to remove that fake tail before it gets caught on something."

"Fake?" He sat back blinking, already losing his train of thought he moved on to a question of his own. "So where do we find the next Dragon Ball Bulma?"

"I have a radar that tells me where the next ball is," she explained. Vegeta's eyes glanced in her direction though she didn't notice, "First though we have to make a stop at the nearest city.

"What for?" Vegeta snapped.

"You guys need some new clothes! You look ridiculous in those outfits," Bulma explained.

"Tsk," Vegeta glared and Veilah spoke up from the back. "These outfits are our armor and they signify Prince Vegeta's royal nature!"

"Wha! You're royalty!" she gasped staring at Vegeta. She should have guessed. His legs crossed, his arms folded, his chin high looking like he was relaxing in a pool of self-worth. She felt her face getting redder. _No way_! Vegeta was the pinnacle of everything she had imagined in a boyfriend!

"Eyes forward," Vegeta said dully.

"What? Eyes—" she looked ahead and screamed. She was about ready to drive into a tree. She spun the wheel avoiding it last minute coming to a screeching halt. Goku flew forward hitting his forehead on the back of Bulma's chair. "Ow ow owie."

Veilah and Vegeta appeared as though the sudden stop hadn't affected them at all.

"Humans, they can't even drive their own simple little devices," Veilah sighed putting her chin in her palm and looking away.

"Hhmph!" Bulma scoffed starting ahead once again. "As I was saying those outfits are going to make people spot us for miles. You need to blend in."

"Ha!" Goku laughed looking at Veilah, "Your outfits are funny."

"I'm talking to you too squirt," Bulma explained glancing at him through the rear view mirror.

"Uh, no thanks I like my outfit," Goku explained.

"YOU'RE GETTING A NEW ONE!" Bulma snapped. "END OF DISCUSSION!"

* * *

The city was huge; people everywhere, other cars zooming by. Goku couldn't believe it. He had never seen so many people in his whole life! Vegeta couldn't wait for the day to come when he could destroy all these pathetic little insects. Bulma stopped the car outside a shop with the words Fashion Forward written above the door. "Alright _your highness_ ," she teased. "We're here."

"Where's here?"

"Here is where you get reborn into the hot stud that I'm sure is in there… somewhere?" she explained. "Follow me."

With that she went into the building. Vegeta glared. "Veilah, translation!" he demanded.

"Uh," she reached into her pouch pulling out a dictionary. They had to learn this human language after coming to live here from scratch, Seripa had gotten them a small collection and she kept it with her. They had learned it well for the most part. Though there were still words now and then that stumped them.

"Let's see… Stud. A knob, nail head, or other protuberance projecting from a surface or part. Any of various button like, usually ornamental objects, mounted on a shank that is passed through an article of clothing to fasten it."

Vegeta blinked contemplating the definition for a moment, and then held up his fist, "Is that Earth woman calling me an ornament!"

"I don't…" she began trying to make sense of it.

Bulma peeked back out through the door. "Would you two hurry up! Honestly!"

Scoffing Vegeta jumped over the door without opening it to get out and headed inside. Bulma was greeted immediately by the store owner. "Briefs-san, I haven't seen you in our store in some time."

"Hello," Bulma said grinning. "I need a new wardrobe for each of my friends here. Would 'cha mind? You can charge it to my Dad's account."

"Of course anything for Bulma," the man said happily. He knew how rich Bulma's family was. Even though her father was rumored to be a little kooky, what did he care as long as he got paid?

"You might as well start with this one," Bulma said grabbing Vegeta's collar and pushing him forward. "I want him looking like a Prince by the time you're through with him."

"Hey!" Veilah snapped. "Just what do you think you're doing? Show Vegeta-sama more respect or you won't live long enough to—"

"And this one!" she said grabbing Veilah's arm. "Make this one look like a movie star."

She leaned in to the store clerk whispering, "Don't make her look better than me however."

"That would be impossible," he answered smiling sucking up as best he could and Bulma soaked it up like a sponge.

"And that's just what I wanted to hear," Bulma said grinning.

"Bulma I don't really want a new outfit…" Goku said. "My gi is fine."

"Goku people don't run around in gi's!" she snapped before turning to the store clerk. "Just…do what you can with him."

"Of course, come here little boy," the man said taking his hand he walked him over to a pedestal and had him old his arms out which he preceded to measure. "What sort of style do you like?"

"Huh?" Goku questioned.

"Are we going for innocent, punk, rock, debonair?"

Goku blinked at him not understanding. The man smiled. "Let's start with something simpler. What's your favorite color?"

"…I don't really care about colors… Do you have any food?" he asked smiling.

Vegeta was given some clothes and pushed inside a room to change. How dare they be so rude to a prince who could kill them in a flash! Huffing over his treatment he removed his shirt before picking up the garments he had been given. The cloths offered no protection. It did not expand for transformations. They were useless…

"Vegeta once you're done you can try—" Bulma who had walked in froze at the sight of the shirtless Saiyan teen. Her face went red. He looked like he had perfectly sculpted muscles.

"What?" He snapped turning to her.

"Uh…sorry, it's… you can try these on next if…if you don't like those," she sat an outfit on the chair by the curtain and hurried out embarrassed.

"Oh my gosh," she buried her face in her hands outside his changing room.

"What's wrong?" Goku asked walking up to her. He was wearing a little suit with a bow tie. She looked down at him.

"Nothing!" she snapped.

"…Your face is all red. Are you choking?"

"NO!" she snapped. "Mind your own business Goku!"

"…" he blinked. "What did I do?"

* * *

A curtain swished aside and Veilah stepped out from behind it. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a blue spaghetti strapped dress. He bangs angled just right so it covered one eye.

"Wow you look cool," Bulma said folding her arms. "Once again the magic of credit cards work wonders."

"It is quite warm in here actually," Veilah informed her. She had taken cool for its literal meaning.

Bulma blinked. "Yea, okay. Hey Vegeta are you ready yet?"

Vegeta pushed aside the curtain wearing a baggy pair of black jeans with a belt a white wife beater, and a vest that had the sleeves torn off as well as a pair of black leather motorcycle boots. "Clothes aren't supposed to look like this until after a battle."

"Wow, you look amazing. I'm telling you the girls at my high school would just die if they saw you," she said grinning.

"My power is too much for them is it? Fine, I will take on these girls from high school. Bring them forth," he commanded.

Bulma blinked. "Yeah, uh… okay so moving on. I'll have the clerk get a few more for each of you and then we'll be on our way."

She started to walk over to the counter when she noticed the fuzzy belt Vegeta was wearing. "Ugh, that doesn't look cool you know. Here take that off—"

She started to reach for it only to have Vegeta slap her hand away. "It's not a belt it's my tail."

"Your tail…" Bulma blinked looking over at Veilah who's tail could only just be seen under the skirt of her dress. She looked at Goku who had already put a hole in his new clothes for his tail to come through. "What are you guys in some sort of club where everyone wears fake tails?"

"My tail is not fake, don't ever imply such things again," Vegeta snapped before turning to leave. Veilah followed quickly behind.

Goku blinked looking up at her. "Can we get some food?" he asked.

"Uh, Goku," she leaned down to him. "Your tail, is it…real?"

"Sure, why wouldn't it be?" he asked.

"You three are weird! Just why do all three of you have tails!" she barked yelling once again at the little boy.

He scratched his head, "What do you mean, I've always had a tail. Don't you have one Bulma?"

"Of course I don't," she snapped.

Goku started laughing, "ha ha, if you ask me that makes you the weird one…"

With that he took off outside. Bulma folded her arms and went to pay.

* * *

She came out with the bags of their extra clothes plopping them down in the back seat. "Phew, thanks for the help with carrying them guys!" she barked furiously.

Veilah had been waiting, seated on the hood of the car. Vegeta had been leaning against it, and Goku seemed to be annoying him with questions. "Can you pick things up with your tail, I can with mine. I usually use it to pull myself up onto branches."

"Why would I need to do that when I can fly?" he barked.

"That's right; will you teach me how to fly Vegeta?" Goku asked hopefully for the second time.

"No," Vegeta snapped.

"How come? I learn really fast, you really only need to tell me how to do it once and I'll practice. If you show me I'll teach you something."

"There absolutely nothing I need to learn from a low class Saiyan clown like you," he snapped.

Goku blinked. He was using his tail to balance himself on the car door so he could be Vegeta's height. "Low class? What's low class?"

Veilah groaned growing impatient with his constant questions she leaned around so she was pressing against the windshield to talk to him. "It means you're inferior to us," she explained bluntly.

"Oh," Goku said blinking. "What's inferior mean?"

"Damn kid, are you really this stupid!" Veilah snapped.

Bulma scoffed. They didn't even seem to notice she was back. After all she had done for them! "Alright everyone calm down, let's get in the car and we'll get something to eat—"

Quickened shuffling and all three Saiyans were in the car waiting on her to get in. "Gosh, you guys must really like food. Okay," she said hitting her right fist against the palm of her left hand. "So where do you guys wanna go?"

Goku stared at her. "Well, the woods of course, where else can you get food?"

"Where else can you get food," she repeated laughing as she climbed in the car. "Kid you crack me up."

She took them to a nice restaurant which she found out later was…a huge mistake. The three of them together ordered enough food to feed about two dozen people. Bulma was in such shock that she merely stared as they stuffed their faces. Even Veilah was packin' away the meals. You'd think she would be a little more lady-like…

"My gosh… do you guys realize how much this is going to cost? My Dad's gonna flip when he gets the credit card bill this month," she sighed staring on at them. If she had known they ate like this she wouldn't have bothered taking them here.

"My tummies full!" Goku cheered when they left an hour later.

"Well I hope you three are happy. Do you know how much money I spent in there!" she snapped.

"Let's get a move on, I want to find these damn dragon things already," Vegeta snapped.

Cursing under her breath she got in the car and they took off once again leaving the city behind…

* * *

The four of them were napping in one of Bulma's capsule houses for the night. The Prince demanded his own room So Bulma slept on the couch in the living room and Goku slept on a rolled up mat on the floor. Bulma was having a difficult time sleeping...

These Saiyans... what sort of things could they do? Well, they could fly. They had tails... Maybe they were half monkey, half human hybrids. Dr. Gero, Dr. Wheelo. Those guys were always up to crazy experiments. Maybe they created them... They really should be reported if they're working on half human half people hybrids. That was more in the realm of mad science rather than science.

Eventually she fell asleep and when she woke up she found all the saiyans to still be asleep even thought it was rather late in the day. So she set out to cook breakfast. One by one saiyan noses smelled the aroma of breakfast and they were all lured into the kitchen.

"Good morning," Bulma said cheerfully.

"What am I smelling?" Veilah asked throwing her arms behind her head and walking into the kitchen.

"Breakfast," Bulma answered. She shuffled the saiyans to the table and brought the food out to them feeling quite proud of her masterpiece.

The saiyans didn't seem to feel the same way...

While they ate all the food, and even complained when it ran out. They put down the meal all through dinner. The bread had no taste they said. The soup was too bland they said. "Well you know what! Next time you guys can make dinner!" Bulma snapped heading off to the other room.

Goku suddenly smiled. "You know, I'll do that!"

With that he jumped down from his chair. "Hey Vegeta! Let's train together!"

"I would gain nothing by training with a weakling like you," Vegeta answered dully. "I want to go find these Dragon Balls already!"

"Well hold your horses I have to get ready!" Bulma called from the other room.

Frowning Goku peeked up from behind the table. "Are you sure you don't want to train?"

"Ugh, he said no!" Veilah snapped furiously.

"How about you then?"

"I'm not about to fight with a weakling like you either..." she spat folding her legs she turned away from him.

"Okay then, I'll go train by myself," he said happily running to the door he grabbed his niyoi-bo and hurried out.

* * *

It was a wonderful day out. The kind of day that his Grandfather would have enjoyed. Goku felt his heart grow heavy from thinking about him, but then he smiled. His Grandpa would not want him to be sad! Charging forward he ran to a rock pulling his fist back he focused on the rock's center. Focusing all his energy he sent his fist flying forward and the rock crumbled to the ground.

From inside Vegeta was watching from the window and he snickered. "Look at him, he actually thinks he's strong because he destroyed a tiny little rock."

"Yes, but there are so few of us... Maybe, we should train him..." Veilah suggested.

"If anyone is going to teach that brat how to be a saiyan it will be his Father. I am a Prince. Training low class clowns is not my job," Vegeta snapped turning away from the window.

"Of course my Prince," Veilah said happily joining him on the couch where he had taken a seat.

* * *

Goku grinned at his accomplishment, and ran to the next rock. Again he pulled his fist back, focused on a single point... But then...

"Wait don't hit me!"

Goku blinked at the noise, and upon closer inspection he noticed a turtle.

"Oh, hi!" he said smiling. "What are you?"

"Me? I'm a turtle..."

"Why are you hiding under a rock?" Goku asked. "Are you stuck?"

"No, this isn't a rock, it's my shell..." he explained.

"Oh..."

Bulma who was combing her hair caught sight of Goku out the window and frowned. "Ugh, that boy..."

She opened the window and called out to him, "Goku, what are you up to now? You better not be thinking of eating that poor turtle!"

Goku blinked looking back a the turtle. "Are you edible?" he asked.

"Oh no!" the Turtle answered fearfully shaking his head.

"I was thinking so... Bulma, come say hi!" Goku called back to her.

She looked at him frowning. That's a sea turtle... Throwing on her clothes quickly she hurried out to Goku. He abrupt departure catching the interest of Vegeta and Veilah who were only interested enough to walk to the door.

She hurried over. "Hey, aren't you a sea turtle?"

"Why yes, yes I am," the Turtle answered.

"Then... how are you all the way out here? The sea is a good number of miles away from here..." Bulma asked.

"Well, that's just the thing... I'm lost..."

"Aw..." Goku frowned.

"Oh... yeah. That sucks," Bulma said folding her arm. "Well, I hope you find your way home..."

With that she turned heading back inside to finish her hair when she suddenly heard.

"I'll take you back to the sea Mr. Turtle," Goku said happily.

"Oh you will!"

"You most certainly will NOT!" Bulma snapped. "The dragon balls remember? Your grandfather... Remember?"

"..." Goku frowned. "But he needs to go home..."

"We're on a tight schedule kiddo, and I don't want to be searching for these things up until I'm forty!" Bulma explained.

Frowning Goku knelt down and picked the Turtle up putting it on his back. "C'mon," Goku said.

"Goku, what did I say!" Bulma snapped.

"I'm gonna take him home," Goku explained.

"Goku I said no!" she barked folding her arms.

"Which way do you think the sea is Turtle?" Goku asked.

"Oh, gosh... I don't know..."

"Then we'll just go straight until we reach it!" Goku exclaimed optimistically and he took off running straight ahead.

"GOKU!" Bulma yelled after him, but he was already far off in the distance.

Sighing she ran back to the house. "C'mon," she said. "Goku's being an idiot..."

She rushed inside and grabbed her capsules before running out she made a motorcycle appear, and jumped on. "Aren't you guys coming?"

Vegeta and Veilah had stood there watching her. Vegeta frowning simply shrugged, "I have no desire to be returning Trutles to the ocean..."

"As Vegeta-sama says..." Veilah answered.

"Ugh, whatever. Stay here then, I'll be back..." she sighed taking off after him.

"Well, now that she's gone," Vegeta said walking over to the dragon radar which she had so carelessly left on the counter. He picked it up clicking the button on top as he had seen Bulma do. However stranger number and symbols were appearing on it. He understood that the small blips of light were the dragon balls but he had no clue how to read anything else so it would tell him where to go. "Tsk, this thing is useless without the girl..."

"Well then, let's just wait. They'll gather the dragon balls eventually," Veilah said smiling. She couldn't wait to wish back their planet, and then she and Vegeta-sama would rule it as husband and wife, and they would have back a whole army of saiyans and they would train them to be the strongest beings in the universe. Certainly stronger than Frieza. Oh she could not wait for the day her Prince would destroy Frieza.

* * *

"Wait up KID!" Bulma yelled after him, and Goku slowed down. "You're heading the wrong way anyway... Geez. What would you do without me..."

Bulma pulled out a map and examined it. "Alright... We need to go this way to get to the ocean..."

"M'kay!" Goku said running in the direction she pointed.

It didn't take long to reach the ocean, and when they got there Goku put Turtle in the water.

"It's so wonderful being in the ocean again!" the Turtle exclaimed happily. "Please let me repay you..."

"Oh, you got some Turtle cash lying around?" Bulma asked.

But the Turtle seemed to be ignoring her. "I'll go and come back quickly. Please wait..."

"Sure," Goku answered happily.

With that Turtle disappeared under the sea...

"Ugh, okay Goku let's go," Bulma said.

"But the Turtle said he was going to come back..." Goku pointed out, and this only added to Bulma's exasperated expression. "Look, what sort of repayment could a Turtle have. He's just going to come back here with a shell..."

"We told him we would wait," Goku explained.

"Kid don't you want to bring your Grandpa back?" Bulma asked frowning.

"Of course I do," Goku answered. "But waiting here for a little while isn't going to change whether or not he comes back right?"

"Ugh..." she sighed. So the two of them waited. Bulma (pretty much) being a pain the entire time.

Goku however was enjoying himself. He had never been to the ocean before. He learned that ocean water was salty, that awesome colored and strangely shaped rocks could be found in the sand, that there were animals and fish that were only located in the sea. He was having a wonderful day when a noise called their attention and they looked up to find Veilah and Vegeta landing near them.

"Oh, decided to come after all?" Bulma asked smiling.

Vegeta reached in his vest and threw the dragon radar to Bulma. "Your radar started making noises..."

Bulma had only just caught it, and she looked at it. "Oh wow! A dragon ball is heading this way!"

Goku ran over staring at the screen. "Really?"

"It's coming from the ocean..." They all looked out at the sea in anticipation.

Veilah reached up clicking on her scouter. "Someone is definitely coming... No one of consequence though..."

"Hey it's the Turtle!" Goku said happily. "But someone is with him..."

The Turtle came closer and closer, and it was soon revealed to Bulma that there was an old man, wearing a hawaiian shirt with a Turtle shell on his back, approaching them. He seemed to be riding the Turtle like a surfboard... When the Turtle arrived on the beach the old man jumped off stretching.

"Well, hello," he said smiling.

"Hi old man..." Goku answered happily.

"My name isn't old man kid, my name is Master Roshi," he explained. "I'm a Turtle hermit... So Turtle, which one of these kids helped you?"

"The little boy," Turtle said pointing his flipper at Goku.

Master Roshi turned to Goku, his image reflecting in Master Roshi's glasses. "Well, for being such an kind and brave boy I will give you a present... Let's see. What present should I give you?"

After a second of thinking he smiled. "I got it. You can have the flying nimbus. If you can ride it it's yours... Come flying nimbus!"

Vegeta frowned. _Flying nimbus_? This guy was off his rocker.

"Vegeta-sama..." Veilah said whispering to him she pointed at the old man's necklace, and Vegeta grinned.

Soaring from the sky, a bright puffy yellow cloud came zooming around. It halted before them and Goku grinned widely. "Wow, it's so puffy!"

"This is the flying nimbus, you can ride it, and it will take you anywhere you want to go," Master Roshi explained.

Bulma smiled, "Well if that's the case..."

She walked over and sat down on it. Only, instead of sitting on it (as she thought would happen) she fell right through it. "OW! What's the big deal!" she snapped.

"Sorry," Master Roshi said frowning. "This cloud is picky, you must be pure of heart to ride it..."

"Me next!" Goku said happily jumping up onto it. He however did not fall through. He stood on top and it held him up as if he were standing on a sturdy but puffy table. "Yea! It like's me! Let's go Nimbus!"

With that Goku took off flying. Zooming all around their heads.

"Pure of heart huh?" Vegeta said frowning. What sort of saiyan was pure of heart!? This was absurd! Bardock would die of shame if he could see his son right now.

"Well," Veilah said. "If he gets that present what do I get?"

"Oh, did you help my Turtle as well?" Master Roshi asked.

"No... she didn't..."

"I think I deserve a present, after all my husband and I came all this way to make sure Goku and the Turtle got here safely, and let's see..." she walked up grabbing the necklace from the old man she ripped it off his neck. "I'll take this, thanks old timer..."

"Whaa! My necklace!" Master Roshi gasped. She had already walked away with it and he checked her out as she was walking away grinning. "Oh alright then... you can have it..."

Veilah tossed it to Bulma. "There is another one."

Bulma looked at it, "Oh wonderful! The three start ball! Goku come down here! We got another one! We'll be making our wish soon!"

Goku flew down with the flying nimbus to examine the ball. "Great! We only need three more and then Grandpa can come back!"

"Thank you Mr. Turtle Hermit!" Bulma said smiling.

Master Roshi waved goodbye to them and set off back for home. Meanwhile Goku, Bulma, Veilah and Vegeta headed back to the capsule house Bulma had set up.

"Lookie Vegeta! I don't need you to teach me how to fly now. I got Nimbus!"

"As if that thing compares to flying... You probably can't go very fast on it..." Vegeta answered dully.

"Well how about we race and see?" Goku asked grinning.

"As if I have time for such childish things..." Vegeta snapped.

"Aw... it's not childish, it's fun!"

"Fun is for children," Vegeta answered without looking at him.

"Fun is for everyone!" Goku explained smiling. "But oh well. You don't have to race if you don't want to. It sure is nice of you two to help us find the Dragon Balls so we can wish my Grandpa back."

"Oh of course," Veilah said in a mocking tone. "Anything to help..."

Vegeta and her exchanged glances that Goku didn't catch. Bulma was the only one left on the ground riding a motorcycle back.


	3. Onward to Fire Mountain!

Traveling to the next Dragon Ball was starting to piss Bulma off. Of all her companions she wasn't able to fly. She used to have a capsule with a personal plane inside, but she just didn't at the moment. Goku would be up in the air on his nimbus and the saiyans would fly in the air with him, and she put putting along on a motorcycle that was clearly breaking down.

"UGH!" she exclaimed when the bike gave a final sputter and died on her. "Guys wait up!"

Goku looped around on his cloud and the teens stopped midair.

"What's wrong Bulma?" Goku asked.

"My bike isn't working!" she snapped.

Goku frowned, "Well don't you have another one?"

"No... All I have left is a boat kid!" she explained opening her dinocap container to prove it. "And as you can see, there is no water around..."

"What's the hold up?" Vegeta snapped landing on the ground, Veila floating much more gently down beside him.

"My bike is broken," Bulma repeated frowning.

"I would like to finish this search sometime soon," Vegeta growled looking angry.

"Well what do you want me to do?" Bulma glared furiously. "I can't ride the cloud and my bike doesn't go anywhere if it's broken."

Vegeta suddenly walked forward, looking angry and almost like he was making a bee-line just to come hit her. She gasped as he got close to her closing her eyes expecting him to hit her. Only he picked her up bridal style and rose into the air. She gasped throwing her arms around Vegeta's shoulders and Veilah looked positively furious. "Whaaaa! What are you doing?" she gasped.

"Carrying you," Vegeta answered coldly. "You can't ride Kakarrot's cloud and your vehicle doesn't work. I want to get this done so their is no other option..."

"My Prince, I would be more than happy to carry her!" Veilah said quickly. She didn't like the idea of herself carrying a worthless human around. But she hated even more that her Prince Vegeta-sama was doing so. The idea that his hands were touching her back and her legs, and the fact that her arms were around her Prince's neck.

"It doesn't matter, let's just go," he said immediately flying in the direction they were already headed.

Goku looked at Veilah. "What's wrong, your face is red..."

"Shut up!" she snapped at him before hurrying off after Vegeta.

Goku frowned. He got the feeling he was missing something...

* * *

"Here! Land here!" Bulma said pointing down at a small village, and the four of them touched down in what seemed to be a vacant city.

Vegeta sat Bulma down and she looked up at him blushing slightly. "Thank you-"

Though he didn't acknowledge her from the moment her foot touched the ground. He was looking around. "Where exactly is this Dragon Ball then..."

"Hhmm..." Bulma checked her radar. "It's definitely in this town."

"Hello!" Goku called. "I know you're here!"

"Goku, stop yelling. I think this place is empty..." Bulma pointed out.

"No there are people here. I can sense them," Goku stated simply.

"Sense?" Vegeta glared at Goku, then turned questionably to Veilah who checked her scouter.

"Yes, Vegeta-sama. There are many people here. They're just cowering in their homes," Veilah explained.

Goku jumped off his cloud walking up to the nearest home. "Hello? I'm coming in!"

He then proceeded to kick the door open, and walk inside. Bulma was just about to tell Goku that he couldn't do that when she heard him cry out. Rushing forward she walked inside to see a man with an ax. He had apparently sent it flying down onto Goku's head, and Goku was sitting on the floor clutching it. "OW!"

"Are you alright kid?" Bulma asked just as the man shouted.

"Oolong! You get out of here! I will not surrender my daughter to you!"

"Oolong?" Bulma said frowning. "Who is Oolong? This is Goku..."

The man stood there shaking, but he stared as he looked at them all. "Oh, you're not him..."

A little girl peeked out from around the Farmer guys legs. She ran over to Goku. "It's not him... I'm sorry. We thought you were Oolong."

Goku stood up rubbing his sore head, "Who is this Oolong guy anyway?"

"Enough of this!" Vegeta snapped. "We're here for your Dragon Ball! Hand it over!"

"Vegeta, don't be rude..." Bulma snapped. She turned back to the little girl. "Please tell us. Who is Oolong?"

"He's a shape shifting monster, so no one knows his true form..." she said tearfully. "He's been stealing girls from our village. He's horrible!"

"A shape shifting monster huh?" Bulma said frowning.

"Vegeta," Veilah sighed from the doorway. This was getting horribly annoying...

"Patients," Vegeta grunted as if he hadn't just been impatient not moments before.

"You said you were here for what now? A dragon ball?" the farmer asked.

"Yes," Bulma answered. She reached in her bag pulling one out. "See... We're looking for a ball just like this one!"

"Oh... well I haven't seen-"

"I have!" interrupted an elderly woman by the door. It seems the whole town had gathered around this house to see what the visitors wanted. Bulma ran over to the woman.

"Really? Where?"

"My family has had a Dragon Ball in their possession since I was a little girl. Though I'll admit I never knew they were called that," she explained.

"Hand it over," Vegeta demanded turning to her, his arms folded.

"Wha!" she gasped looking fearful.

"Vegeta!" Bulma snapped. "Will you knock it off! You're scaring her..."

"Ma'am, would you be kind enough to give us your Dragon ball if we get rid of Oolong for you?"

"Oh..." she frowned thinking. "For my granddaughter... I would certainly do anything to get her back."

"Then it's settled!" Bulma said. "When this Oolong guy shows up you guys can get him to tell us where the girl's are and we'll-"

"This is taking too much time," Veilah said looking at Vegeta with an annoyed frown. "Shall I-"

Vegeta took a deep breath. "We'll wait, but I'm not helping either..."

"Well, despite my rather rude companions, we're in. You're gonna help right Goku?" Bulma asked turning to him.

"Sure," he answered simply.

And thus Vegeta and Veilah went out behind the building to wait.

"Vegeta-sama, this is taking so long... I don't understand... Let's just take the Dragon balls. I'm sure we can figure out her radar and how it works," Veilah explained.

"And if we can't..." Vegeta said dully.

"Well..." she frowned.

"Prince Vegeta can you hear me?" a voice within' his scouter called. He recognized it immediately and lazily he reached up hitting the button on the side of his scouter that was necessary to begin transmission.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Your Father is worried. You haven't come home in days," Seripa's voice explained. "Are you coming home soon?"

"I'm currently in pursuit of something interesting," Vegeta answered. "I'll come home when I have acquired it."

"Well, please be careful Prince Vegeta-sama, we finally got our own U Verse scouter working and we've discovered that the U Verse scouter on Frieza's ship is in close enough range to scan Earth. Don't power up until his ship is out of range. We will of course let you know."

"Fine," Vegeta answered.

The U Verse scouter was a scouter of Frieza's ship that he used to find strong power levels. It could search a great circumference around his ship, scanning an entire galaxy's length. His ship wouldn't likely stay long though, in a few days they would be out of range again. It was good thing they finally got their U scouter working. They had captured some of the best scientists on the planet to help them build it, and to make sure it could detect other such scouters presences without revealing their own. This way they would know when they could power up without fear of Frieza spotting them.

"The U Scouter is up and running," Vegeta told Veilah.

And Veilah grinned. That was a relief.

"But we're currently in the range of Frieza's U scouter, so we can't power up for a while."

Veilah frowned. The thought that Frieza might come here. It scared her. But she knew she shouldn't worry. She had Prince Vegeta at her side.

* * *

"Okay Goku," Bulma said grinning as Goku came out from a back room wearing a dress and a bandana on his head. "There... don't you look cute!"

"Why am I in this again?" Goku asked frowning.

"That is so you look like Pocawapah when Oolong comes to pick her up," Bulma explained.

"But what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"Basically, just let him take you to where ever the girls are. Once you've found them, then you can open up a can ha ya!" She did some strange swishing motions with her arms as through trying to fight.

Goku snickered at that, "That's not how you fight."

"Whatever, you get my point," she said and she shuffled him out the door closing so there was still a crack left. "I'm right behind you kiddo."

Goku sighed. Looking ahead Vegeta was leaning against a tree with Veilah next to him. They were both watching with bored expressions. Though upon seeing that Goku was in a dress Vegeta's face split into a grin. "Look at that. The clown dressed up..."

Veilah laughed.

It was then the pounding sound of large feet approaching caught all of their attention and a large creature was bounding forward. "Pocawapah? I'm here to see..." he paused when he spotted Goku. "Ah, there you are..."

Goku hid his face so the creature wouldn't notice he wasn't the girl. He preferred to end this fighting, but Bulma said they had to find the girls first. Suddenly a lazer shot out at the creatures feet, and it jumped back. "What was that?"

Vegeta had gotten to his feet and he was pointing a finger at the creature.

"What? Vegeta!" Goku gasped. He had never seen anyone do that before! Vegeta shot energy out of his hands! How was that possible?!

"Be thankful Kakarrat, I've decided to help you..." Vegeta said grinning.

Veilah got her feet smiling, "Thought we were laying low."

"A few pot shot lazers aren't going to be picked up on Frieza's sensors, besides I'm bored as hell," he said grinning. "I want to kill something already."

Veilah smiled. _This_ was the Vegeta-sama she loved. Standing there. Looking handsome as hell, that blood thirsty glint in his eyes. That "I'm here to kill you," smile. Oh he was just everything she ever wanted in a husband!

"Kill?" Goku said looking worried. "Wait Vegeta, we're not going to kill anyone!"

"Maybe _your_ not," he said smiling. "My plan is to get rid of this weakling, get the Dragon Ball and move on already!"

He aimed for Oolong, who looked terrified. "Whoa whoa! Wait!" Oolong gasped looking panicked. He had seen what Vegeta's last energy beam had done to the ground. "I give! You don't have to kill me!"

Goku threw off the dress looking worried.

Bulma stepped out. "So... you'll tell us where the girls are then?"

She could hardly believe it was that easy. Vegeta pretending like he was going to hurt someone turned out to be a better plan than her idea. Only Bulma didn't realize that he wasn't kidding.

"Yeah, fine," Oolong sighed, and Vegeta walked over ripping the Dragon Ball from the woman's hand.

"I'll take that," he said grinning.

"Wait, we don't know if the girl's are okay," the woman said tearfully.

"They're fine," Oolong pointed out, and sure enough when they were led to Oolong's surprisingly big house the girls were living it up, and were perfectly okay. As they left, Goku confronted Vegeta out of earshot of Oolong and the girls.

"Vegeta, you weren't really about to kill him were you?" Goku asked frowning.

"Of course I was," Vegeta snapped, and Goku frowned.

"Why?"

"Why?" Vegeta repeated. "Because that's what we saiyans are. We are killers. You'll figure it out, I'm not sure why you turned out so sickeningly nice but I'm sure as you get older you'll come to realize killing is just a lot more fun."

With that Vegeta returned to Veilah's side, and Goku stood back watching his little group walk away. _Vegeta was a bad guy_... Goku through frowning. He was going to have to keep an eye on him...

"Goku," Bulma said as they walked to the feast the villagers had promised them. "You're going to get left behind if you don't hurry."

At dinner Oolong was even allowed to join, because at least he hadn't hurt any of the girls, and no one was afraid of him anymore. Goku turned to him during dinner, "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know..." Oolong said frowning.

"You could come with us. We're on an adventure to bring back my Grandpa," Goku explained.

"Well... I guess I could come along... But what about that guy..." he was indicating Vegeta. "He's really scary..."

"Don't worry, I'm keeping my eye on Vegeta," Goku said glancing his direction and he was scarfing down his food. Veilah too seemed to have just as big of an appetite as him.

"I think he's a saiyan, don't you?" Oolong asked. "He fits the bill... well built, black hair, long tails... I wouldn't be surprised if he is..."

"Yeah, he's a saiyan," Goku said through a mouthful of bread.

"WHAT!" Oolong snapped. "If you knwo that then why are you hanging out with a Saiyan!"

Then, Oolong suddenly noticed. Goku had black hair, a long tail, and seemed surprisingly built for someone his age. "Wha! You... You're a saiyan too!"

"No, I'm not a saiyan," Goku explained.

"Kid, you fit the bill for exactly what a saiyan is!" Oolong explained frowning.

"Well," Goku frowned. "What's so bad about being a saiyan?"

"First off, they mysteriously showed up on this planet about 12 years ago, they built themselves a palace and slowly began to kidnap people to be their slaves. They're staying pretty low key, and keeping to themselves... you know... for now. I think that's because they're trying to build an army so they can take over the world!" Oolong explained. "I lived around their base originally but as soon as I realized what they were up to I high tailed it out of there!"

Goku glanced at Vegeta... "Well, if they try that I'll stop them..."

"Kid, you're one of them! So don't kid yourself..." Oolong said eyeing him suspiciously.

"But I'm not..." Goku explained, though Oolong didn't seem to want to talk to him any more after that.

* * *

"Hey Bulma," Goku said turning to her that night. They had all decided to sleep in the village and continue their quest in the morning.

"Yeah?" Bulma asked frowning.

"You had a wish right? I mean, you were collecting the Dragon Balls before you met me... What were you going to wish for?"

"It doesn't matter kid..." Bulma said rolling over so her back was facing him.

"I wanna know," Goku said smiling. "Please tell me."

"No."

"Aw, c'mon!"

"I said No Goku! Goodnight!" she snapped.

Giving up Goku soon fell asleep, but Bulma laid awake. What was she going to wish for? She had had a wish. She was trying to find her Father. He had gone missing two months ago, and she hadn't seen him sense. What she wanted more than anything was to wish her Father to her side, wherever he may be.

* * *

"So where are we heading now?" Goku asked the following day when they got up.

Bulma checked her radar and then a map she carried with her. "Let's see... a place called fire mountain..."

"Fire mountain!" Oolong gasped. "Oh I'm not going there! You can count me out!"

"Wha? Didn't you tell me yesterday that you were gonna come help Goku and me?" Bulma asked.

"Nope, changed my mind. It's bad enough your hanging around Saiyans and now you want to travel to Fire Mountain! You're just trying to get yourselves killed aren't ya!"

"Whatever Oolong," Bulma said frowning. "Stay or go, I don't really care..."

Oolong suddenly grabbed her leg to stop her walking away.

"Girl, you shouldn't be hanging around those saiyans. I would get out while you still can..." Oolong warned.

"They're not so bad," Bulma said. "Especially Goku. He can be annoying sometimes, but the kid's sweet as candy. He wouldn't hurt anyone. Say, how do you know what a Saiyan is anyway. I only heard about them a few days ago..."

So Oolong launched into his whole explanation with her.

"They do sound scary, and you said they were kidnapping people..." Bulma said frowning.

"Yeah, not just everyday people too. They have targets as well. I heard they were kidnapping some of the biggest names in science as well. Seems they were building something..."

"WHAT!" Bulma snapped. "The biggest names in Science! You mean Scientists right!"

"Yeah," Oolong nodded.

Bulma felt like her stomach had fallen through the floor. That must be... It must be why her father went missing. It was the only explanation. He Dad wouldn't stay away this long without telling her...

"Well, best of luck to you," Oolong said. "I hope you don't get killed."

With that Oolong ran off and Bulma heard Goku call her name. Frowning she hurried out of the house they had stayed in to find Goku, Vegeta and Veilah all standing and waiting for her. She suddenly felt very uneasy around them...

"Are you ready to go Bulma?" Goku asked smiling.

"Uh... yeah. Let's go..."

* * *

Vegeta once again carried her. To Veilah's complete annoyance. They were flying over a desert when Bulma asked Vegeta to land, so they did.

"What are we stopping for?" Veilah asked frowning.

"Because it's hot and I'm tired!" Bulma snapped. "I need a break."

"From what?" Veilah frowned. "From resting comfortably in Vegeta's arms while he does all the work of flying?"

"It's the desert, the sun is hot, I need some shade!" Bulma snapped. "Oh here is some..."

She walked under a tall cliff rock, it was nice and cool under here.

"Maybe she'll be happier if we just let her rest," Goku said.

Sighing Veilah stretched. "Alright, well. I'll go to this fire mountain place and be back before you can snap your fingers."

"Don't you need Bulma's Dragon Radar?" Goku asked.

"It's a mountain that's completely engulfed in fire. I'm sure I'll find it," she said shrugging.

"I'll go with you!" Goku exclaimed, but then he stopped he turned back to Vegeta staring at him.

Vegeta grinned, "What you think I'm going to do? I'll kill her?"

Bulma seemed to have already fallen asleep under the rock's shade and this was evident from her snores.

"She better be alive when I come back!" Goku warned and then he and Veilah took off.

Vegeta didn't care. As if Goku could do anything about it if he did decide to kill her. Though, Goku didn't know he had to keep Bulma alive in order to be able to read the dragon radar. He walked over to the shade and sat down with her. Now was probably as good a time as any to take a nap.

* * *

"There is our next victim," Yamucha said grinning as he looked at the screen of his tracking computer. He had set up a number of hidden cameras all throughout the desert and he could monitor them all from his hidden home at the desert's center.

"Yes!" Puar cheered. It had been so time time since someone had wandered through their desert.

"We'll take anything of value from this idiot," Yamucha walked over grabbing his sword. "Good thing that kid and that girl flew away..."

"Yeah, if the girl had stayed we'd be in trouble..."

"Well, let's hurry before she comes back!"

With that Yamucha and his cohort hopped onto one of his hover vehicles and they zoomed out through the desert after them.

* * *

Bulma opened her eyes to find Vegeta sleeping not too far away. He was leaning against a stone pillar with his arms folded and his eyes closed. She looked around Goku and Veilah didn't seem to be there... She sat up stretching.

Vegeta looked... kind of cute... She scooted over to him looking closely at his face. She didn't know what Oolong could have meant. Vegeta was a tough guy but... Bulma wondered if she should ask Vegeta if his people had indeed taken her Father or not. But she decided against it. If they had. He would probably kill her right now.

Looking at him this close, he really didn't seem like a terrible guy. Vegeta's hair was standing straight up, and she wondered what kind of product he must use on it to make it do that. She thought for a moment that his hair would be greasy. But when she reached up to touch it, she found it was actually quite soft...

"Come out with your hands up!" shouted a voice that woke Vegeta, and seeing Bulma so close to him he reached up grabbing her wrist with a vice like grip. She started to let out a scream but Vegeta covered her mouth quickly.

"Shut up!" he whispered before hitting the button on his scouter.

It beeped, some strange letters appeared on the screen over his eyes, and then he grinned. "Oh too cute... He thinks he's powerful."

He shoved Bulma from him getting to his feet he emerged from the shadows of the rock to face whoever was there. Bulma's wrist throbbed painfully from his grasp, and she scooted forward peeking around the pillar Vegeta had been leaning against moments before.

"Hello stranger, I'm here for your valuables. Give me any money and dinocaps that you might have and I'll let you pass without getting hurt."

Vegeta grinned. "Well, how about this. You give me any money and dinocaps you have I'll let you leave here with all your limbs. Though... I can't promise they'll all be functional."

"Do you know who I am?" Yamucha snapped.

"Do you know who _I_ am?" Vegeta responded.

"I am Yamucha, the feared desert bandit. You would do well not to cross me," he explained.

Vegeta's cocky smile only grew larger upon hearing that, and Bulma frowned. Oh gosh! One of these two was going to end up dead and she doubted it was going to be Vegeta.

* * *

It didn't take them long to spot the strange glow, and when they got closer they realized it was fire mountain. Unmistakably! When they arrived Veilah immediately tried to fly to the castle, but it was far too hot even for her.

"So what do we do now?" Goku asked frowning.

"Well, I'm sure I could put it out by expelling some energy, but... I can't risk it. Frieza would sense that for sure," Veilah said frowning.

"Frieza?" Goku questioned. "Who is this Frieza guy?"

"He's the most powerful being in the universe..." Veilah said without really thinking. "Well, I guess we'll have to tell Vegeta it's a wash. There is no way to get the ball right now..."

"Maybe if we poured some water on it," Goku suggested.

"Do you realize how much water that will take?" Veilah asked.

Suddenly an Ax came zooming by nearly hitting Goku and he fell off his cloud. Veilah turned to find a large man with a beard walking towards them. He looked furious. "THIEVES!" he shouted.

Goku sat up rubbing his head. "We're not thieves," Goku said. "We're here for your Dragon Ball..."

"My what?!" the man snapped. "I am the Ox King, and this is my castle! You're not getting any of my treasure or my Dragon Ball (if I even have one)..."

"Please, Sir," Goku said kindly. "I need it so I can bring back my Grandpa Gohan."

"Gohan?" the Ox King repeated. "I once knew a Gohan? He wasn't by chance a fighter was he?"

"Yeah!" Goku said happily. "My Grandpa Gohan taught me how to fight!"

"Gohan isn't a very common name," The Ox King said. "Your Grandpa must be the same Gohan that I trained with all those years ago. We were both students of the Turtle Hermit Master Roshi."

"Hey!" Goku smiled cheerfully. "I know a Master Roshi! He gave me this cloud!"

The Ox leaned close examining the cloud that was floating above Goku's head. "And you can ride it?"

"Uh-huh," Goku said jumping up onto it.

"You must be pure of heart otherwise you wouldn't be able to ride it..."

"Okay this has gone on long enough, look!" Veilah said. "We need the Dragon Ball in your castle, now go up there and get it for us!"

"I couldn't if I wanted to," the Ox King explained. "But I know a way to put out the fire! Master Roshi has something called a Bansho fan. It's the only thing that could create enough wind to put out the flames. Goku, if you go find Master Roshi, he could give you that fan, I could then go back into my castle. Then I will give you my Dragon Ball if I have one up there."

"Alright, I think I could find where Master Roshi lives. It can't be too far from the beach where we met him," Goku said happily. "I'll go find him."

"Wait before you leave," the Ox King reached in his clothes and pulled out a picture of a little girl. with black hair, and brown eyes. "This is Chichi, my only daughter. I sent her to find Master Roshi, but I haven't seen her since and I'm worried she might be lost. Will you please find her and bring her back as well?"

"Chichi," Goku repeated. "Alright! I'll do my best to find her too!"

Goku looked at Veilah, "You don't happen to remember the beach where we met Master Roshi do you?"

"Of course I do," Veilah answered with a tone that told Goku she really couldn't care less.

"Well if you could help me find it again, then we can hurry and get the bansho fan and then the Dragon Ball would be ours," Goku pointed out.

"Alright follow me," she said and she took off.

"Don't worry Mr. Ox King, we'll be back soon!"

* * *

"I am Prince Vegeta," he exclaimed holding out two fingers he sent one of his lazer attacks straight through Yamucha's vehicle.

"Wha! Hey! What did you do that for!?" Yamucha exclaimed. Bulma quickly grabbed her bag and things.

"Now, wait a minute Vegeta!" she said running out. "Let's not blow up everything we see. Okay?"

Yamucha's eyes widened and he suddenly started shaking.

"A... A... girl... A pretty girl..." he gasped.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow confused by his actions, and Bulma looked over at him. "Uh, Vegeta isn't in a good mood today," Bulma said smiling. "Perhaps you should run along okay..."

"Tsk, I don't have the time or patience for this!" Vegeta snapped. He wrapped an arm around Bulma's waist and took off so they were floating above Yamucha in the air. He gasped from seeing them flying.

"Wait, where are we going?" Bulma gasped. Vegeta seemed to be checking his scouter, and then he smiled.

"The Mountain of Fire remember? Veilah went on ahead. I only stayed back so you could sleep..." Vegeta grunted before flying faster than he had with her before and she screamed from the fear of it.

Meanwhile Yamucha was left below them in the desert. "That girl..."

"I know," Puar said frowning. "You have a fear of women..."

"No, she was screaming... That beast Vegeta has kidnapped her! Ugh! I can't just let someone that pretty be kidnapped. What kind of man would I be!" he exclaimed. "We're going after them Puar!"

"But Yamucha, saving people isn't really something we do. We're thieves!"

"Not today Puar!" Yamucha said grinning. "Today, we're going to be heroes!"


	4. A Glimpse into the Saiyan Regime

"STOP! FLYING! SO! FAST!" Bulma snapped hitting Vegeta's back in an effort to get him to slow down.

"Quiet down or I'm going to drop you," Vegeta said frowning.

"Eh!" she gasped. "You wouldn't..."

"Keep annoying me and you'll find out," he growled.

Bulma frowned wrapping her arms around his neck as tightly as she could. "Whatever! Just don't drop me if you're going to fly this faaaaaaaa!"

He suddenly picked up speed for no reason other than to freak her out.

* * *

Goku couldn't believe how small the world was! As it turned out Fire Mountain was only about an hour's fly from the beach where they had first met the Turtle hermit. It seems they had made a really big loop around and had almost made it back to where they had began their little adventure.

"He must live around here somewhere," Goku said. "Let's just fly around until we see a house!"

"Fly around until we see a house," Veilah snickered. "Please... Saiyans do not fly around. This is what we have scouters for."

She clicked the button on the side of her head piece and it started making beeping sounds. "This Master Roshi is said to be pretty strong huh? Well the strongest power level around her (other than ourselves) is in that direction."

She pointed out towards the ocean.

"Great!" Goku said cheerfully. "Let's go check it out!"

It didn't take long at all flying into the direction she pointed that they came upon a small abode on a nearly as small island.

"Jeez," Veilah said after landing. "What kind of Master lives in a pink house? Maybe it's not his..."

"Well, only one way to find out," Goku said cheerfully.

He jumped down to the ground, "Master Roshi! Are you in there!"

No answer.

"Huh..." Goku frowned before walking over to the window and peeking inside.

Master Roshi seemed to be sleeping on his sofa. Goku grinned jumping up onto the window sill he hurried into the house. "Master Roshi!" he called right next to him to wake him up.

He started sitting up quickly looking terrified around him, and slowly his mind registered Goku through his sleep hazed eyes. "Oh... Goku... It's you. *yawn* How are you?"

"I'm fine Master Roshi. We came here to get your Basho fan!"

"We?" Master Roshi turned to find Veilah seated on his window sill looking rather bored.

"Oh... it's that rude girl from before," Master Roshi said, but he immediately started blushing. "But who cares about rudeness when you look like you?"

Master Roshi crawled across his cushions to the window where she sat. "Hello there sweetie!"

"Don't call me that," she stated bluntly.

"Oh..." Master Roshi frowned.

"We're in a hurry so do you have it or not?"

"Have what?" Master Roshi asked.

"Ugh! The Bansho fan! You idiot, the kid just asked you!" she frowned.

He crossed his legs placing his hand to his chin, appearing to be in deep thought. "Hhmm..." he sighed. "Bansho fan... Let's see... what did I do with that?"

Turtle who had been resting too not too far away scooted over. "Uh... Master... Last I saw you were using the Bansho fan as a coaster."

"Wha! That was the bansho fan... Oh, goodness... I threw that out because I had spilled some tea on it..."

"You threw it out!" Goku gasped.

"Ugh, great!" Veilah snapped.

"Now hold up kids, what do you need that thing for anyway?"

"The Ox King's castle is surrounded by a magical fire," Goku explained. "But I need the Dragon Ball from that castle to wish my Grandpa back."

"Oh, I see... Well don't worry. I can set it right. Just direct me to that fire..."

"Really?" Goku exclaimed.

"Of course! I'm stronger than I look you know," he explained.

"Tsk, doubt it," Veilah frowned throwing her arms behind her head.

"That uh... other girl isn't at the castle is she?"

"Uh... You mean Bulma?" Goku thought for a second. "She might be there by now. I'm not sure how long her nap was..."

He suddenly girnned. "All right!" he exclaimed. "Give me a few minutes to get ready then..."

"Get ready?" Goku frowned. "How long?"

* * *

"Whaaaaa! Ow!" Bulma exclaimed as Vegeta very roughly let her drop as soon as they were a safe enough distance from the ground for the fall to not kill her.

"I'm a Lady you know! You can't be so rough with me!"

Vegeta however was not paying attention to her. He was staring at the mountain frowning.

Bulma clammered to her feet frowning. "Tsk... Where is Goku anyway? I thought he was supposed to be here..."

Vegeta hit a button on his scouter. "They're on their way back."

"But... why did they leave in the first place?" Bulma said frowning trying to fan herself with her hands. It was so hot there!

"Thieves!" exclaimed a loud voice, and Bulma spun around to see a giant of a man rushing towards them wielding a large ax.

"Wha! Vegeta!" Bulma gasped hiding behind him. Vegeta seemed to be reading something off his scouter.

"He is big, but he is no threat," he said grinning.

"You're here to steal my treasure!" the Ox King exclaimed.

"No, we're not—" Bulma began only Vegeta interrupted her.

"We sure are," he said grinning. "So just what are you going to do about that?"

"I'll kill you!" he exclaimed raising his ax high into the air.

* * *

"It was so nice of such a pretty girl to carry me to fire Mountain," Master Roshi said cheerfully as they were heading back.

"Don't make a habit of it," she snapped. "I need this settled quickly and you can't ride Kakarrot's cloud."

"Kakarrot?" Master Roshi said frowning. "Why did you call Goku that?"

"That's just what they like to call me," Goku explained shrugging.

"It's not a nick name!" she spat, a bit insulted by what Goku was implying. "It's his _actual_ name."

"Oh, is that so," Master Roshi said frowning, almost as if he was thinking about something...

"Whaaaaaaaa!"

Goku heard crying from somewhere down below and when he looked down he saw a small girl being chased by a dinosaur. "Ah!" he gasped. "Uh-oh, looks like he's going to eat her..."

"It's none of our buisness, we have to get to fire—" Veilah began only Goku had already started flying down to help her.

"He now, stop a minute I want to watch this!" Master Roshi said wriggling around so much that Veilah had no choice but to stop or drop him.

"Haaaa!" Goku Yelled jumping from his cloud he kicked the Dinosaur hard on the top of the head. It collapsed falling to the ground with such force it tore up the grass a little.

"All done!" Goku said cheerfully. "Little girl you're okay now."

The girl was still screaming and running but she suddenly spun around touching her helmet she sent a beam straight at Goku who dodged it only just in time!

"Hey! I'm trying to help you!" Goku explained, and then suddenly he remembered the picture the Ox King had showed him. "Oh hey! You're Chichi aren't you!"

"Uh?" she gasped blinking. "Have we met before?"

"Nope, your Father showed me a picture of you though. So I would recognize you if I saw you. I'm supposed to bring you home."

"Father sent a boy to come find me?" Chichi said blinking. "A boy? For me... you're not by change here to marry me? Are you?"

"Uh..." Goku found it strange that people kept using all these words he didn't know. His mind drifted back to not too many days ago...

_"There absolutely nothing I need to learn from a low class Saiyan clown like you," he snapped._

_Goku blinked. He was using his tail to balance himself on the car door so he could be Vegeta's height. "Low class? What's low class?"_

_Veilah groaned growing impatient with his constant questions she leaned around so she was pressing against the windshield to talk to him. "It means you're inferior to us," she explained bluntly._

_"Oh," Goku said blinking. "What's inferior mean?"_

_"Damn kid, are you really this stupid!" Veilah snapped._

He didn't want to be called stupid again. So he decided to pretend like he knew what she was talking about. "I sure am!" he said smiling assuming marriage must mean something along the lines of return or save.

"Wha!" she gaped blushing. "Well, if Father thinks you're good for me, then who am I to argue."

"Uh, that's the spirit," Goku said shrugging.

"Will you hurry up!" Veilah snapped suddenly looking angry.

"Yeah sorry, just give me a second Chichi is coming with us."

Veilah looked even more annoyed at that, "I am not carrying anyone else!"

"Yeah okay," Goku said turning back to Chichi he called for his cloud. "Hey, you don't happen to have a pure heart do you?"

"Is that a quality you look for in a bride?" She asked blinking.

"Uh, no. It's just you can't ride my cloud without one," he explained.

"Oh," she said walking over after Goku had jumped up onto it. "Well I'm a good girl. I don't get in trouble much. I'm sure I have one."

"Great, well. Hop on because your father is expecting us soon," Goku explained.

He helped her up onto the cloud, and sure enough she could sit upon it without falling through.

* * *

Vegeta had grabbed Bulma around the waste and jumped effortlessly out of the way of the Ox King's swing. Bulma was starting to really freak out with each swing Vegeta dodged. But Vegeta was smiling. He seemed to think this was a fun game.

"AH! Hey! Ox King! Don't kill them they're my friends!" called a voice from above.

The Ox King stopped swinging and looked up to find Goku waving a t him happily, and just behind him was his little Chichi.

"Ah! You found my Chichi!" he exclaimed happily.

Goku stopped his cloud between Vegeta and the Ox King. "Daddy!" Chichi exclaimed jumping off her cloud and running over to him.

"Thank you so much for finding my daughter and the Bansho..." he stopped. "Wait, where is the Bansho fan?"

"I didn't bring it," Goku exclaimed smiling.

"Oh, you couldn't find Master Roshi then?" he asked frowning.

"Nope, I found him alright! I brought him with me."

"You brought..." the Ox Kind spun around at the sound of a small cough that called his attention to find his old Master sitting on the remnants of a broken wall not far away.

"Master Roshi!" he gasped rushing over and bowing before him. "It's been so many years, how have you been?"

"Apparently not as good as you," Master Roshi said frowning. "What is this I hear about you stealing and plundering to amass your great wealth? And once you had it, you threatened anyone who came near it. Since when did my teachings say to you that materialistic items were more important than human lives?"

"I'm so sorry Master! Please forgive me! I'll change!"

"You better," Master Roshi said lightly tapping the Ox King's head with his staff.

"Now, where is this fire mountain?" he said stretching his neck.

"It's the mountain, with fire..." Bulma said frowning. "Seriously it's right behind you!"

"Ay, okay. No need to to get upset. I see it..."

"Can you really put it out Master Roshi?" Chichi asked looking hopeful.

"I bet he can," Goku said smiling. "He trained my Grandpa after all. So he MUST be really strong!"

"You can count on it!" Master Roshi grinned turning to face the mountain. He removed his shirt looking like the frail old man he was. But then... he began to power up.

Both Vegeta's and Veilah's scouters went off at the same time and began instantly measuring their increase in power.

"What is this?" Veilah gasped. "He can hide his power level?"

"It would seem so," Vegeta said frowning watching the numbers go up as the old man's muscle's expanded and he soon became twice his normal size.

"Ka... Me... Ha... Me..."

The numbers were still rising on their scouters when it stopped, and suddenly Veilah gasped turning to Vegeta. "Vegeta-sama... Frieza-sama!"

Vegeta frowned. He had forgotten that they were supposed to be lying low. While the old man's power was still not a threat to them. It was certainly high enough to be measured on Frieza's U Verse scouter!

It was too late to stop him though, Master Roshi had shouted, "HA!" The energy he had been building up shot from his hands straight at the castle, and it caused a massive explosion. Goku was awestruck by the site and his mouth fell open.

When the explosion was done Master Roshi exhaled and returned to his normal size.

Veilah ran over to him immediately, "What the hell do you think you're doing! Frieza-sama was bound to notice that!"

"Uh, who?" Master Roshi said frowning.

"UGH!"

"Hey! Where is our castle!" Chichi gasped.

Master Roshi looked back. "Oh...oops. Guess I over did it just a bit."

"Over did it!" the Ox King frowned. "Oh I hope Chichi's dress is okay!"

"Dress?" Goku frowned blinking.

"He's talking about Mama's wedding dress. I'm supposed to wear it when I get married."

"You weren't wearing it today?" Goku said, thinking about how he had saved her from the Dinosaur without it. "Is it because it was stuck in the castle?"

"Oh silly!" Chichi said smiling. "Getting married takes a lot more time to plan than that."

"Not really," Goku said frowning. He didn't really plan out rushing in to save her. It's something that you kind of make up as you go along. But he was bored with this discussion now. He hurried over to Master Roshi

"Can you teach me how to do that?" he asked hopefully.

These idiots, Veilah found herself thinking. Did none of them care that Frieza could be on his way to them right now? They would all be dead for sure if that happened!

Vegeta had stepped away to converse with the others back at home, now he returned to Veilah's side. "Bardock says we seem to be right at the edge of Frieza's radar. Even though ours registered it clearly, their is a good chance his men won't have picked it up. But he'll keep us updated."

Veilah sighed, "I guess we'll just have to hope..."

"Frieza will no longer be a problem once we have the dragon balls," he explained simply and in a quiet voice so that no one else could hear them. "We must find them quickly!"

"Yes," Veilah said nodding. Once they found the dragon balls, they would be able to bring back their fallen Saiyan comrades. Then they would all take on Frieza!

* * *

"I got it!" Bulma called some time later after searching the ruins. She held the second to last dragon ball triumphantly in her hands.

Goku cheered and turned to Master Roshi. "So you never answered me earlier, will you teach me how to do what you did?"

"Oh, the Kamehameha?" Master Roshi said frowning. "I would love to but, it will take you fifty years to learn such a feat."

"FIFTY!" Goku gasped, and frowned... "Well... if it's going to take me fifty years, I guess I better get started..."

"He sure has spunk doesn't he?" the Ox King said laughing. After successfully recovering Chichi's dress he had returned. "Just like his Grandfather Gohan..."

"Oh Gohan?" Master Roshi said shocked. "He's Gohan's Grandson?"

"Yes, that's what he said."

Goku seemed to be looking at his hands as though figuring out how they worked. "Ka... me..." he frowned. "Ka... me..."

"Well," Master Roshi said walking over to him. "How is Gohan doing?"

"He's dead, remember? I told you I was getting the Dragon Balls together to wish my Grandpa back. Ka... me... Ka..." he mumbled the last few sounds never looking up from his hands.

"Oh, that's right. I didn't realize before that your Grandfather was Gohan..." he sighed. "I am truly sorry for you loss Goku."

"Ka... Ka... Oh!" he smiled. "I think I got it now... Ka! Me! Ha! Me! HAA!"

Goku aimed his palms at a nearby bolder and sent a small blast out reducing it to rubble. Goku looked slightly shocked at what he had done, but everyone else looked floored. Well aside from Veilah and Vegeta. They looked angry.

"But that technique took me..." Master Roshi sighed as Veilah suddenly appeared at Goku's side hitting him hard over the head.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! STOP DOING THAT!"

"Ow!" Goku gasped sitting up rubbing his head. Her hit had really hurt. "What did you do that for?"

"Stop shoot ki blasts that powerful!" she snapped. "Frieza will sense it!"

"Who is this Frieza guy anyway?" Goku asked.

"He's the most powerful being in the universe and he could kill all of us with a glance! The more power you people use the more likely he'll realize we're here! Don't you get that?"

"Is that all? Well, if he comes I'll stop him!" Goku said grinning.

"Ugh, you stupid little... He can destroy entire planets! He killed off pretty much everyone on our home planet! A little brat like you will never be the one to stop him!"

Goku frowned.

"Our best chance of survival is to not let him know we're here!" she spat, and as though that was her final word, she spun around walking back over to Vegeta.

"Well, as interesting as that all is, I think we should head out," Bulma said smiling. "I don't really have any dinocaps left though..."

"You can have on of mine," the Ox King said smiling. "After all, you kids did help me get my castle back, even if it is in pieces..."

Bulma took the capsule from him reading the number. "Oh wow! A plane! Thanks a ton Mr. King Sir!"

She hit the button and threw it. POOF! A large and decently spacious plane appeared. "Awesome, it's big enough for all of us! Hey do you guys want to ride with me now that I have a big enough vehicle again?"

"I like my Nimbus..." Goku said frowning.

"Aw, c'mon Goku, I don't want to travel alone..." Bulma said frowning.

"Okay," he answered.

Vegeta and Veilah climbed on as well, but before Goku could get on Chichi ran over grabbing his shirt to hold him back.

"Wait Goku! Weren't we getting married?"

"Uh... are you in trouble again?" Goku asked looking confused.

"Getting married!" the Ox King gasped. "You want to marry my Chichi?"

"Uh, I mean yeah. If it's necessary of course I will..." Goku said innocently still assuming married must mean something like protect.

"Oh what a wonderful day. I know, Chichi, you go with Goku and get to know one another. Then when you come back we'll have a wedding to celebrate."

"Really I can go with him!" Chichi exclaimed. Her eyes getting bright.

"Of course, a bride should be with her husband after all," the Ox King explained.

"Oh thank you Daddy!" Chichi said running over and hugging him. She hurried back over to Goku. "Well I guess I'm coming with you."

"Uh... okay," Goku said shrugging. Genuinely not feeling one way or another about her joining.

"Goodbye Goku, Goodbye Chichi!" the Ox King called as the plane rose into the air. "I'll have the castle all nice and rebuilt for you as a wedding present when you come home!"

"Thank you Daddy! Love you! Bye!" Chichi called as the door closed.

* * *

A day into their next departure, Bulma noticed the plane running on empty. So they landed at the next town to get some gas for it.

But this town was strange from the moment they entered it. First off their was a strange symbol that could be seen around town, and when Veilah and Vegeta disembarked the towns folk seemed afraid of them.

Bulma looking around frowning took out her wallet to pay.

Smiling Vegeta turned to the man. "We need fuel for this vehicle. Fill it up."

"Of course Sir!"

The man bypassed Bulma and her wallet and began to fill up the tank.

Bulma frowned the man was scurrying frantically to fullfill Vegeta's order.

"Hey, Chichi!" Goku said smiling. "Look they're selling food over there!"

He ran over to the food stand and Chichi followed. "Oh icecream! Goku, will you buy me one?"

"Uh... I don't have any money. One sec..." he turned looking in the direction of where Bulma, Vegeta and Veilah were standing. "HEY BUL—"

"No no!" the stand owner said. "Young ones you can have whatever you want for free!"

"Really!" Chichi said happily. "I would like one of those!"

"Me too please!" Goku said smiling.

"Is it just me, or do these people seem scared of us?" Bulma said frowning.

"Of course they're scared," Vegeta said grinning. "This is one of the cities my Father took over."

Bulma turned to him frowning. "Took over?"

"Yes, we killed their previous leader and now it belongs to us," Vegeta explained.

Bulma looked around again and she suddenly realized that the symbol she was seeing everywhere had been the same symbol on Vegeta's saiyan uniform before she had had him change.

"You killed..." she exhaled in shock. Despite the warnings she had heard from Oolong and others. It didn't truly hit her until just now how truly dangerous Vegeta and Veilah must be.

Goku and Chichi wandered back over licking their ice creams.

"Bulma? Are you okay you look scared..." Goku said frowning up at her.

"Uh... no I'm fine," she lied.

"I'm gonna go change," Veilah said. "These awful Earth clothes don't suit my style."

"Since we're here, we might as well have the slaves make us a feast," Vegeta said boredly and they both headed towards the tallest building in the small city.

When they were safely out of earshot Bulma rushed over to Goku.

"Goku we have to get out of here!" Bulma said panicked.

"Huh? But Vegeta just said we were going to have a feast!" Goku said smiling. "Chichi, you want to go to the feast right?"

"Yeah!"

Goku and Chichi hurried after Vegeta leaving Bulma frowning. This wasn't good. Goku clearly didn't understand just what was going on here. She looked back at the plane. It was full now, she could just take the Dragon Balls and leave. Wish for her Father returned to her side like she had been planning to do all along...

But, then what about Goku's wish. He lost his Grandfather, and Bulma had promised him he could use their wish to return the old man to him...

He's a saiyan too! He's probably going to grow up to be just like them some day! Probably best to just ditch him too. She hurried back to the plane and flipped the switch to start the engines. Then, she froze. "UGH! Darn you kid!"

She switched the plane back off and went to join them for dinner.

* * *

"Puar!" Yamucha called over to his floating cat companion. "This old lady said she saw a blue haired girl arrive in this town along with a number of something she called Saiyans. It MUST be her!"

"That girl isn't the only Blue haired person on the planet you know," Puar said frowning.

"Maybe so, but I'm will to bet it's her. That monster isn't going to get away with kidnapping such a pretty girl. Are you ready to fight them?"

"Wait, what about your fear of women?"

"Uh..." Yamucha frowned. "Oh yeah... How am I supposed to help her if I can't even look at her?"

"I know," Puar said. "Maybe I could put a bag over her head and you could carry her away to safety..."

"Well, that could work..." Yamucha said frowning. "Let's call that one plan B!"

"Great!" Puar said. "Then what's plan A?"

"Plan A is waiting until night fall to rescue her so that way I won't be able to see her as well, not to mention it'll be easier to do that once all her captors are asleep."

"Good plan!" Puar said.

Yamucha turned back to the elderly woman. "You don't happen to know which way she went by any chance do you?" he asked.

The old woman pointed a finger in the direction of the tallest building there. "Great thanks!"

They both turned to it grinning their hero's grin. "And now Puar! The heroes wait."

* * *

"Wow, you sure can eat a lot can't you?" Chichi said smiling watching Goku eat a ton.

"I sure can," he answered happily and Chichi frowned to herself, realizing she was going to have to learn to cook...

By now, Veilah and Vegeta were back in full on Saiyan attire, and eating just as much as Goku.

Humans were standing along the walls looking terrified, and at one point Goku noticed this too. "Hey are you guys hungry? Their is enough for everyone," Goku said to them, and they jumped slightly after being addressed by him.

"Kakarrot, we don't invite slaves to eat with us," Veilah said sitting back in her seat looking content she put her feet up on the table.

"Why not?" Goku asked and then he paused and turned to Chichi, "What's a slave?"

Chichi was looking upset. "They're people you make do what you want whether they want to or not."

Goku frowned, "That's not nice!"

"Who cares if it isn't nice," Vegeta said getting to his feet. "Saiyans are not nice. But if you want... I guess I can try and be nice..."

He turned to Veilah, "Pick one."

"You!" she said pointing to the largest and most muscular human who was standing against the wall in the room. Nervously he took a step forward.

"Kakarrot, pick one," Vegeta said.

"Pick... Pick one for what?"  
  
"I'm going to have the humans fight to the death, and the one who lives gets their freedom. Doesn't that sound _nice_."  
  
Goku frowned. "No it doesn't!" he snapped.  
  
"Pick one, or I will choose for you," Vegeta demanded.  
  
"I have a better idea," Goku said hurrying and downing the last of the food in his bowl before he jumped up onto the table pointing his power pole at Vegeta. "How about I fight you, and if I win you let everyone in this town go free!"  
  
"Oh? And if I win?"  
  
"Uh," Goku frowned. "I don't know, what do you want?"  
  
Vegeta smiled. "If I win, you give me the Dragon Balls."  
  
Bulma felt her stomach fall through the floor. "That's it, that's what they were really after... This whole time..."  
  
"FINE!" Goku agreed jumping out to the main floor area.

"Uh, Goku, be careful!" Chichi pleaded."Oh this is going to be too easy," Vegeta grinned.

"Don't use too much power Vegeta-sama. Don't forget about Frieza-sama."  
  
"I won't," Vegeta said grinning.


	5. Their True & Most Terrifying Power

"Goku!" Chichi called fearfully. "Be careful okay!"

He gave her a thumbs up before turning back to Vegeta who was looking rather smug.

"Tell us when Veilah," Vegeta commanded.

"Now," Veilah announced.

Goku lunged forward sending his power pole straight towards Vegeta's head. Vegeta blocked it easily. Then Goku sent a kick, which Vegeta also blocked easily. Move after move, their didn't seem to be anything Goku could throw at him that would land. Jumping back and panting slightly Goku started into Vegeta's eyes.

"Oh, are you finished? I was waiting for you to be serious... but... I guess that was wishful thinking," Vegeta said grinning. "Now, boy. Let me show you the true power of the Saiyan race!"

With that he lunged forward hitting Goku hard on the side of his face and then kicking him in the gut with such a force that Goku deeply cracked a nearby pillar after he was thrown into it. Vegeta smiled, "That isn't even a third of my power. For your sake I suggest you stay down."

Goku felt dazed. He had never had so few attacks hurt so much. Vegeta was more powerful than any opponent he had ever faced.

Bulma gasped and covered her eyes.

"Don't cover your eyes you foolish girl. You are witnessing greatness!" Veilah said smiling. Her eyes were wide and shining with admiration.

"WHAAAAA!" whined Chichi running over to Goku's side the moment he was hit. "Are you okay?"

Vegeta turned to Bulma, "Alright then, so get me the Dragon Balls from your vehicle."

"Now... wait a minute Vegeta," Bulma began pleading slightly.

"Yeah wait..." Goku groaned. With Chichi's help he got to his feet. "I'm... still fighting..."

"How do you expect to beat me? As a courtesy to your Father, I was going to spare your life..." Vegeta said. "But if you wish to die that badly..."

"Chichi, stay back okay," Goku said with a serious look. She may have only known Goku a few days, but she already knew him well enough to know a serious expression wasn't something he often wore.

"Unn," she nodded running back over to Bulma.

Goku picked up the power pole he had dropped. Though Bulma noticed he wasn't very steady on his feet. "I'm not going to let you keep hurting these people. You're going to let them go!"

"Alright boy, I'll give you one last shot," Vegeta said. "Hit me with everything you've got, that way you'll know once in for all just what it means to be the low class clown that you are!"

"HAAAAAA!" Goku rushed forward punching Vegeta right in the face.

He didn't flinch, he didn't even move...

"Ah! No way!" Goku gasped looking genuinly confused.

"Is it my turn again?" Vegeta asked and this time when he punched Goku he barely held back at all. Goku instantly lost consciousness and was sent flying through the wall and into the city where he crashed through a few people's houses. He walked to the opening and sent a thin beam of light straight at him, but Bulma couldn't tell if that one hit him or not.

Back down in the city, Yamucha and Puar looked up when they heard the crash and saw the beam of light shortly afterward.

"What was that!?" Puar squeaked.

"I don't know, let's check it out!"

* * *

Seripa watched the U Scouter diligently. They were all taking turns. That way someone was always watching it. The small bleep on the radar that was Frieza and his men did not seem to be coming closer. In fact they hadn't moved for some time.

"Anything?" Toma asked walking up behind her.

"Not from what I can see... That is of course if we assume that Briefs guy made this thing right..."

"I'm sure he did," Toma answered looking up at the large screen as well. "Bardock has been overseeing his work after all."

"I thought that was only so if the old man croaked or something at least one of us would know how this thing was put together."

Toma laughed, "I'm sure it was partly that as well, but Bardock has a genuine interest in gadgets and things. He is the one that created artificial moonlight for us."

"Yeah, well he better study hard, that way we won't have to rely on the knowledge of these Earthling scientists for too long," Seripa sighed.

Toma nodded before leaving her to her observation.

* * *

Yamucha sat beside an unconscious Goku.

"I can't believe this kid is still alive..." Yamucha said frowning over him. "Thanks again ma'am for letting us use your house."

He turned to an old woman who looked slightly fearful at being addressed. "Of course, Saiyans are always welcome to take refuge here..."

After that she hurried back downstairs leaving Yamucha, Puar and Goku alone. "She seems scared for some reason..."

He looked back at Goku, "Hey Puar, maybe he knows where the blue haired girl went. He was thrown from the building she was in. So it's possible...

* * *

"My... my husband..." Chichi cried tearfully.

"Goku!" Bulma screamed, both girls had run over to the hole in the side of the building.

"That's that," Vegeta said shrugging.

"Well done Vegeta-sama," Veilah said fiddling with the food on her plate.

"Hey!" Bulma snapped spinning around. "How could you do that! He was just a little kid!"

"He was a weakling..." Vegeta said shrugging. "Now, I believe I made a bargain with the boy. I want the Dragon Balls."

Bulma blinked. "You weren't going to free them even if you lost the fight, so I'm not giving you the Dragon Balls either!"

"Then I'll kill you and take them," Vegeta responded grinning.

Suddenly looking fearful she hid behind Chichi. "Well, if those are our options..."

"Veilah, be a dear and fetch the Dragon Balls from the vehicle," Vegeta demanded and she obediently got up from the table to carry out his order.

"Well, then I guess we'll just be leaving..." Bulma said nervously trying to shuffle Chichi from the room.

"You're not going anywhere. There is still one more Dragon Ball to find, and I need you to find it," Vegeta demanded. "Lock them up downstairs until I'm ready to go searching again.

From another room human soldiers came out carrying guns. They had a symbol on their chest unlike the Saiyan symbol that seemed to be everywhere else. The letters RR on a red banner.

"Red Ribbon..." Bulma whispered. "What is the Red Ribbon army doing working for the Saiyans?!"

The Red Ribbon army was a ruthless army that started becoming a major problem about 14 years back, but mostly in rural areas since they hadn't been big enough to take on major cities or governments...

"They work for us because we'd kill them otherwise," Vegeta said shrugging.

At gun point Bulma and Chichi were escorted below the manner, all the while Chichi was whailing, and when the door was closed and locked Bulma turned to her. "Would you stop crying!"

"But... my husband... I'm so little, and I'm already a widow!"

"What are you talking about, you just met Goku like two days ago!" Bulma snapped. "How can you possibly like him that much?"

"He said he was going to marry me," Chichi said sniffling.

"Well, look, Goku's probably not dead anyway," she said. "He's a pretty tough kid. He probably just got the wind knocked out of him."

"You think so?" Chichi asked whiping her eyes.

"Yes I do!" Bulma exclaimed. "Now listen, can you get us out of here?"

"Me?" Chichi frowned.

"Yes you," she knelt down in front of Chichi. "Goku is Gohan's grandson right? And Gohan was trained by Master Roshi. Well so was the Ox King! Surely you must be a pretty good fighter as well right?"

"Papa never taught me to fight," Chichi said frowning.

"Surely you must have some skills Chichi! I'm the daughter of a scientist, and that's why I'm smart. You're the daughter of the Ox King, so surely you could get us out of here if you wanted to."

"Uh... I suppose... I could try..." Chichi said nervously.

"Great!" Bulma stepped back to give her room.

Chichi walked over to the Brick wall behind them and placed her hand on it. "Kyyyyaaaaah!"

She rather pitfully attempted to punch the wall.

Not even a crack appeared.

"Owie! Ow! That hurt! My poor hand!" Chichi whined. "Whaaa! Now I'm a widow with a useless hand!"

Bulma sighed. "Calm down Chichi..."

"No, this is stupid. I can't be a widow! Goku has just got to be okay! I want...I want to... Whaaaa! Goku!" she screeched and reached up placing her fingers on either side of a small gem on her helmet and suddenly a laze came shooting out blasting a small but sizable hole in the stone behind them.

Bulma gasped, "Why didn't you tell me you could do that!"

"Oh..." Chichi wiped her eyes. "I forgot..."

"Who forgets that they're wearing a helmet that can shoot lazers?" Bulma snapped. "Never mind... Look I think we can fit through..."

Bulma got down on all fours and with some effort squeezed through the whole. Chichi crawled through with much more ease.

Bulma glanced around getting her bearings. As soon as she realized which direction their vehicle was in she took off for it and when they got there she found her radar and the dragon balls missing! "Ugh, that bastard Vegeta took everything!"

"We should find Goku and make sure he's okay," Chichi said frowning.

"Yeah," Bulma said looking around. "It seems he was thrown off in this direction..."

Chichi immediately took off running in the direction Bulma pointed, and Bulma had to run with almost twice as much effort to keep up.

"You know," Bulma said looking around. "They sure have rather lax security..."

"Well it's a tiny town," Chichi pointed out. "Maybe they just have those soldiers at the palace."

"Maybe," Bulma said frowning.

It wasn't hard to follow the trail. Goku had gone through two buildings and racked the wall of a third. Bulma was starting to get a sinking feeling that maybe he didn't survive...

An older man was putting some plaster on the wall of the third building. So Bulma and Chichi went up to him.

"Excuse me Sir, the boy who crashed into this. Do you know where he is?"

The man had jumped when being addressed, but upon realizing they weren't saiyans he answered, "Oh, yes. The Saiyan child was picked up by a man and taken to Usah's house. It's that one right there..."

Bulma turned to the building and nodded, "Cool, thanks old timer!"

They hurried over knocking on the door and an old woman answered. She only opened it a crack at first.

"Hello, we heard that you took in the little boy who hit the wall earlier," Bulma said.

"Oh, the saiyan... yes. Come in." She stepped aside allowing them to walk into her home which was small and run down. "Please, you tell the other Saiyans how kind I was, how I took take care of their young one right? You tell them, so they won't hurt me or my family."

"Uh," Bulma frowned. "Yeah sure..."

She didn't think it was a good idea to correct her and explain that Goku and them were not with the other saiyans.

"Where is Goku?" Chichi whined after she didn't see him from a quick scan through of the room.

"The boy is upstairs."

Chichi hurried up them two at a time and Bulma followed.

The first thing she noticed was that guy from the desert. "Oh hey! It's you."

"Wha!" the guy fell backwards in his seat blushing like crazy.

"Oh you're safe," Puar said. "Yamucha and I rushed after you when we realized you had been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Bulma said frowning. "I wasn't kidnapped, well I was a little whlie ago. But whatever that's over now. How is Goku?"

Puar looked kind of sad. "Oh... he hasn't woken up..."

Bulma walked over sitting on the edge of his bed. His head was wrapped. Reaching back behind him it seemed he had cracked his head open from the force of the hit. Bulma wasn't exactly a doctor, but she had enough medical knowledge to know this was a serious injury. But aside from that she pulled the blankets down a little bit and saw his chest had been thoroughly bandaged, "Hhmmm..."

"He's going to be okay isn't he?" Chichi asked frowning.

"I'm not gonna lie kid," Bulma said getting to her feet. "It doesn't look good. Did someone sew his wound shut?"

Yamucha nodded, "Yeah, that old woman did. She said to leave everything to her. I guess she's the town doctor or something."

"I didn't see many medical instruments on my way up here, gosh. This town must really be poor or something."

Chichi's eyes filled with tears.

"So you know this kid huh?" Yamacha asked.

"Yeah, he's a saiyan," Bulma said sitting in a seat beside him making Yamucha jump and scoot away from her a bit. "But a nice one. At least I think so."

"The people in this town seem to be terrified of these saiyan whatever they ares..." Yamucha added. "What exactly are they?"

"Near as I can figure, they're really powerful aliens with strength far grater than the average human," she frowned.

"If that's true, and this kid is one of them. Then isn't he dangerous?" Puar asked.

Bulma stared at Goku's unconscious face. "I wondered that too," Bulma said frowning. "But... when I met him he had just lost his grandfather, and I sort of offered the dragon balls to him so he could wish him back."

"The what?"

"Oh," Bulma realized that they didn't know. "Dragon Balls, they're seven orbs and when you gather them all you can make a wish. Only, now Vegeta has six, and since he has my Dragon Radar he'll soon have the seventh. And he's probably going to wish for something really evil, like control over the entire human race. But it's okay, because I don't think they can read our language. So odds are they don't know how to read the coordinate system on the dragon radar. They'll need me for that."

"WHAT!" Puar and Yamucha exclaimed together.

"If this kid is a saiyan then how do we know he's not working for them?" Yamucha asked. "He could be a spy and the moment he wakes up he'll let the other saiyans know where your at."

"But, Goku didn't seem to know any of them when I met him," Bulma explained.

"I don't know if we should trust him..." Yamucha said frowning.

"AND JUST WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY!" Chichi snapped spinning around to look at him. "And since when are you apart of our little group huh! How dare you not trust Goku!"

"Well, I just thought I would help you out. I mean, I did come all this way to save you," he said eyeing Bulma as he said it. "So, I just thought I could help you with whatever you were up to..."

"You came all the way here to save me?" Bulma said blinking.

Yamucha nodded, though he was pretty sure he had said this earlier.

"Well aren't you sweet," she said leaning over she gave him a peck on the cheek.

Immediately his face went red and he fell off his chair again.

"Did you mean what you said about wanting to help me?" Bulma asked sweetly turning to him with the cutest smile she could manage.

"Uh... yeah..."

"Good, because I need my Dragon radar and the other dragon balls back. We're going to find the last Dragon Ball."

"And then what?"

"Well, we're going to wish the saiyans away."

"Is... is that even possible?" Yamucha asked.

"NO YOU CAN'T!" Chichi snapped. "Have you forgotten! Wishing the saiyans away means my beloved Goku too!"

"I won't wish Goku away, don't worry about that," Bulma assured her. "But just from that short fight between Goku and Vegeta. I could see that these saiyans are insanely powerful. If they decided to get serious in taking over the planet. We could all be wiped out in a heart beat..."

"Then this sounds like our best bet to save the Earth," Yamucha said standing tall. "I'm in. Just tell me what to do Bulma."

"Okay," Bulma said smiling. :First things first, we'll have to get my radar and the other dragon balls. So we're going to break in to that building and take them back. And by we I mean you."

She pointed at Yamucha.

"Wha! Just me!" he gasped.

"Well, if Chichi wants to go too she can. But I'm not about to go back in there," Bulma said.

"What can I do?" Chichi asked frowning.

"You're the only one of the two of you who knows what my Dragon Radar and the Dragon Balls look like. So you'll know what to grab. Yamucha will supply the manly brute force!" Bulma explained. "I will stay and see if I can speed Goku's recovery along. If he wakes up soon, I'll send him after you two. If he doesn't' then you'll need to get back as soon as possible so we can leave this city."

"Should we wait until nightfall then?" Yamucha asked.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

"Hey, is it just me or has Goku's breathing slowed..." Chichi asked frowning.

Bulma jumped up lightly pushing her aside to examine him, as she tilted his head Goku exhaled, and stopped breathing. Just like that... he was gone.

"Uh..." Bulma suddenly felt her chest heavy, and her eyes began to burn. Was he really... No. This couldn't be true...

"Is he okay?" Chichi asked.

Bulma turned quickly to her and desperately tried to think of a lie. But... Their was no point in lying. "Chichi... sweetie... I'm... I'm sorry... He's..."

"He is not!" Chichi snapped. "He's not dead! Goku!"

This time she pushed Bulma out of the way to be next to him and she cried clutching the blankets at his side. Bulma put a hand on her head in an effort to console her, but she was crying too so she wasn't doing a very good job.

The old lady walked up the stairs. "How is the Saiyan doing?"

"Um... he... He just passed away ma'am," Yamucha said solemnly.

"Oh no..." the woman dropped the basket of bandages she was carrying. "Please! Please! I did all I could, don't let tell those saiyans I failed!"

"Ma'am it's alright," Yamucha said walking over to her. He helped her pick up what she had dropped. "We're not looking to get anyone in trouble, so don't worry about that."

"Oh thank you, you're too kind," the woman said and she walked back downstairs, and then she smiled. _I may be an old lady,_ she thought to herself. _But even I can do my part in ending this saiyan take over. I made sure not to close his wounds so he would have no chance to survive. And now I'll be able to tell my grandchildren that I got rid of one of those horrid creatures before I leave this world._

With an extra skip in her step she set off to her daily chores.

Chichi had stopped crying. She stood up drying her eyes. "New plan," Chichi said shaking slightly. "We're wishing Goku back."

Bulma blinked. "Kid, I'm sad he's gone too, but we have to think about what's best for the good of the world. Getting rid of the saiyans is what's best..."

"NO!" Chichi yelled. "IT'S NOT FAIR, we're wishing Goku back!"

"I know it's not, but think about what Goku would do. Do you really think he would wish someone back over saving the lives of everyone on Earth?" Bulma asked.

"We have to be smart with this. We only get one wish... I had a wish too you know. I wanted to wish my Father to my side, but I'm tossing that aside too so that we can end the Saiyan regime once and for all."

"We can't do anything until we have these Dragon Ball things right?" Yamucha asked. "We'll just get them first and decide our wish later."

Bulma and Chichi nodded at that, both realizing it was pointless to fight over it now.

Come nightfall, Bulma wished them luck and Chichi, Yamucha and Puar hurried back into the main building. Bulma decided to wrap Goku up so they could give him a proper burial later. When she sat him up she noticed the wound in his chest had gone clean through, and while it seemed to have missed vital organs the patch up job the old lady had done was terrible. The wound was barely sewn up at all. If Bulma had known she would have tried to do a better job the moment she had arrived... Feeling kind of bad for the elderly woman she wrapped many blankets around Goku. The woman was getting older, maybe she could no longer see well. Regardless, Bulma was sure she had tried her best, and that's all you can ask of anyone.

Little did she know, she had not tried her best.

* * *

Chichi and Yamucha were just outside the building on either side of a back entrance. Yamucha peeked in a nearby window and nodded to Chichi to tell her it was safe to go in.

Chichi nodded back rushing in with Yamucah at her heels.

* * *

Vegeta snickered. "They're trying to sneak in, isn't that cute," Vegeta said watching the two little blips on his scouter come closer in range.

"Want me to stop them?" Veilah asked.

"Stop them, what for? Let them get what they're after, and we'll follow them to the last Dragon Ball. Then it'll be far too easy to take, and I'll have my wish," Vegeta said grinning.

Veilah smiled too. "Yes Vegeta-sama."

 _Soon_ , Veilah thought. _Soon we'll bring back all our people, and the Saiyan race will thrive once again._


	6. STOP THAT WISH!

Goku looked around. He didn't know where he was but their was a big temple in front of him. Figuring he should probably go to it he started walking and immediately met with an onslaught of groans and scoldings.

Stopping in his tracks he turned to the people talking to him.

"Hey kid! Back of the line!"

"We were here first!"

"Don't think you can—"

"Alright now," said a much kinder voice placing a hand on Goku's shoulder. "Come this way little boy. That's a good kid, now you stand here and wait your turn alright?"

"Turn for what?" he asked looking up a man with horns.

"What do you mean for what? So you can be judged on if you're going to hell or not."

Goku blinked at him. "What's hell?"

"It's where bad people go when they die," the man explained.

"Uh... So, am I... Am I dead?" Goku asked looking down at his head.

"You sure are kid," the creature said flicking something that was floating above his head. Goku looked up and gasped. Their was a yellow ring floating above his head! He grabbed it holding it out in-front of him. Wondering what it tasted like hit bit onto it.

"WHA! What are you doing! Don't eat your halo," the man gasped.

Goku let go of it and flew up back on top of his head. The horned man sighed. "Now please, just stand there like a good boy until your turn alright."

"Okay," Goku said frowning staring at the puffy ground that reminded him of Kinto-Un. It was taking forever, this line waiting. Goku peeked around the person in-front of him trying to see how much longer it was. Eventually he completely climbed up onto the back of the person in-front of him and gasped when he saw just how many people he had to wait for. "Is this really going to take so long..."

"Hey get off!" snapped the person he had climbed onto and they knocked him onto the puffy ground. It didn't hurt thought. Because, well, it was puffy.

"Sorry," Goku said frowning. The being he had climbed onto looked a bit like a bear but the face was more of a dog pig combo. He was covered in dark green fur and look angry. He had never seen anyone quite like him before.

"Tsk... How did you die anyway? Pipsqueak? Did you choke on some gum?"

Goku blinked up at him. "No, I was killed by Vegeta," he stated simply as though this were an everyday thing to say.

"What!" the guy gasped. "Vegeta, I know that name. Isn't he one of Frieza's men?"

"You know, people have been mentioning that name a lot..." Goku frowned. "Weird."

"You don't understand kid, I was killed by one of Frieza's men, and they were talking about searching for Vegeta and the other Saiyans, they were going to kill them all! Even though I hate Frieza and his men for killing me, I'm kind of glad he's going to take out Vegeta and all those other Saiyans. They were the ones responsible for enslaving my race on planet Yudroh."

"Gosh, I'm sorry," Goku said frowning. "So, then you must know a lot about Saiyans..."

"Of course," he answered. "You don't get enslaved by an alien species without learning a thing or two about them. They're pure evil, maybe not as evil a Frieza but pretty close. They're very strong with dark spikey hair, and brown tails that allow them to..."

The guy suddenly looked at Goku closer. "Wait a mintue, you're a Saiyan!"

"Uh, no. I'm not a Saiyan. I'm an Earthling."

"Kid, you're a Saiyan, and I don't want to talk to Saiyans," he snapped. "Looks like someone is heading straight for hell..."

"Hell? That's where bad people go," Goku said remembering what the horned guy from earlier explained.

"Yeah," the guy snickered. "And Saiyans are the worst kind of people."

Goku frowned. "The worst kind of people..."

* * *

"There," Chichi whispered pointing to the center of the room on the main floor. The balls and radar had been left out in the open on a table.

"Alright, stay there Chichi, I'm going for it," Yamucha said. Ducking behind whatever he could find for cover he hid behind anything that could cover him, until he ducked and rolled under the table. Reaching around he grabbed them, the radar as well. Wrapping them in the cloth they were sitting on.

"C'mon Chichi let's go!" Yamucha said in a panicked but low voice. He took off with her out of the building and hurried back towards where Bulma remained.

"Wow, I didn't think it would be that easy!" Chichi exclaimed smiling. "We'll wish Goku back for sure!"

Yamucha suddenly slowed down until he was standing still. He turned back to the tall building staring up at it... "It... it was really easy..."

"Well don't question our good luck!" Chichi snapped. "C'mon!"

Frowning, he took off again.

They got out of the city that night. Taking their plane they left quickly with Goku's body alongside them. Yamucha was driving because Bulma and Chichi were arguing in the back.

"We're wishing Goku back!" Chichi snapped glaring up at Bulma.

"We're wishing the Saiyans away!" Bulma countered.

"I thought you were his friend. How could you not want to help Goku!" Chichi glared.

"I care about Goku too, but the safety of the world is more important right now. You saw how strong they are! He can be our next wish," Bulma explained.

Chichi blinked. "Next wish?"

"Once you make a wish on the dragon balls they scatter and become dormant for a whole year, but after that you can make another wish. Goku will be our next one okay."

"No!" Chichi snapped. "I want Goku back now!"

"Well too bad!" Bulma said finally putting her foot down. "They're my dragon balls, it's my radar, and I'm going to say what we do with it!"

Chichi sat down crying and Bulma took a seat upfront next to Yamucha looking angry.

"If you ask me," Yamucha said. "I'm thinkin' now that we should wish the saiyans away... Like you said. We can bring Goku back next time, but this might be our one and only chance to get rid of these saiyans..."

"Thanks for agreeing with me Yamucha," Bulma said smiling sadly. She looked back at Chichi who was still crying. "Chichi, I promise you. 100% with the next wish we'll bring Goku back."

"You... *sniff* You promise?" Chichi asked.

"On my life kid," Bulma answered throwing her a smile. Puar flew over and attempted to console Chichi.

Just out of the sight range of their plane, Veilah and Vegeta stopped in the air. They were tailing them. "Keep a decent distance from them," Vegeta ordered. "Until I see that seventh dragon ball I don't want them to know we're following."

"Of course Vegeta-sama," Veilah nodded and they continued flying.

* * *

The guy just ahead of Goku stepped up to be judged. A large man with red skin and horns sat behind a desk taller and wider than most buildings. Goku was staring up at it in awe as the man looked through a notebook.

"Uh, King Yama-sama," said one of the horned people. "This is Ukor from the planet Yudroh."

"Oh, Ukor huh... Seems you were a plunderer, a killer. Up until the Saiyans arrived on your planet you were a pretty horrible person. To Hell you go!"

"Wait what!?" Ukor gasped. A whole opened in the floor and he fell through.

"WHA!" Goku gasped. "He fell!"

Shortly after the whole sealed up.

"NEXT!"

Goku walked forward and the horned man beside his desk cleared his throat. "Kakarrot Sir, he is a saiyan currently residing on Earth."

"A Saiyan," King Yama said frowning. Without even opening Goku's file he tossed it to the larger stack on his desk, "To Hell!"

Goku gasped.

"Now wait just a moment..."

Goku felt his heart skip a beat. He knew that voice... He turned in the direction it came from and saw him. "G... Grandpa..." he smiled. "GRANDPA! YOU'RE HERE! YOU'RE OKAY!"

He rushed forward jumping into his arm hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're here! I came home and you were dead! What happened!"

"Oh you know," he said smiling cheerfully. "Old bones, I don't move as quick as I used to."

"Now what's going on here?" King Yama bellowed turning to them.

"Sir you are making a mistake, please look at my boy's file again. I assure you I doubt their has ever been a better boy in the whole world..." Gohan said smiling down at him.

Goku wiped his tears looking up at him happily. He was so happy to see his Grandfather, even if he went to Hell he doubted it could spoil his mood.

"You think I King Yama make mistakes!" he snapped.

"You heard he was a saiyan and condemned him immediately, you didn't even read it. I assure you, take a look you'll find I'm right," Gohan said grinning. He put a hand on Goku's head. "Come with me lad, I want to show you heaven."

Without looking back Gohan escorted Goku away and King Yama begrudgingly shuffled through Goku's file and found that he was indeed one one of the purest and kindness souls to ever pass through his check point.

* * *

"The last dragon ball is somewhere down there!" Bulma said checking her Radar. It took most of the day to arrive back.

She was pointing down to the ruins of an old palace that appeared to not have been used in years. They landed the plane among a clump of trees and disembarked. "Look over there," Bulma said. "The Ball is at the very top of this palace!"

"Should I take the plane up there?" Yamucha asked.

"I could just fly up there," Puar suggested.

"No," Chichi said. "I'll fly up there."

"How?" Bulma asked.

"I'll take Goku's Kinto-Un," she said smiling. "KINTO-UN!"

She paused... It didn't come... "Huh..." Chichi frowned. "I thought Goku was telling me the other day that he just had to call it and it came."

"Well, it comes for Goku because Goku owns it..." Bulma explained. "Maybe because he never gave it to you, you can't call it..."

"Hhmm..." Chichi frowned. "Then maybe this will work..."

She ran back onto their plane and grabbed his Nyoi-bo. "Nyoi-bo," Chichi said holding it at an angle. "Extend!"

She shot forward towards the palace top and grabbed the edge when she got there. The Ball popped out of it place easily. "Ha! I got it!"

"Great job Chichi!" Bulma called smiling.

"Yea!" Puar cheered.

"Nyoi-bo retract," Chichi commanded and she started heading back. But the pole was at such an odd angle now that she started to fall sideways quicker than it was retracting. Yamucha quickly grabbed the end so she wouldn't get knocked into the Forrest. When she had at last landed, she held the ball out to them.

"Look! Now we can make our wish!" Chichi said smiling.

"Great!" Bulma said happily she set down the other dragon balls and they all began to glow. "Wow... They're so pretty..." Bulma said.

Chichi stepped back into the background and then rushed onto the ship. "C'mon Goku!" she said pulling his body up onto her shoulders. "This might be our last chance!"

She carried him outside just as Bulma called, "Dragon! Arise!"

They began to glow brighter, and then suddenly their was a lot of noise. Chichi fell back in her attempt to set Goku on the ground. But she jumped up quickly so she could watch the dragon. It rose from the light the Dragon Balls created. It grew bigger and bigger! She had never seen anything so scary. "Be brave Chichi," she said to herself, tears in her eyes.

It roared and it's eyes shown bright.

Vegeta and Veilah stopped mid flight.

"What the hell is that!" Veilah gasped. "That thing is huge!"

Vegeta frowned. "I don't know what it is either! But it dies today! Veilah, on my mark!"

"Yes Vegeta-sama," Veilah said holding out her hands which immediately began to glow from the energy she was gathering.

"Gallet gun..." Vegeta said preparing his own attack.

"STATE YOUR WISH!"

Vegeta blinked. "Wish... Veilah stop!"

She was still charging her energy.

"That thing... That's here to grant their wish! We have to hurry!"

He took off immediately, and Veilah rushed after him.

"Dragon," Bulma called at the top of her voice. "We wish, whaaaa!"

She gasped when something tripped both her and Yamucha. They fell backwards onto the ground. Looking around Bulma saw Chichi had tripped them using Goku's power pole. Puar who had been resting on Yamucha's shoulder rolled off.

"Dragon! Bring Goku back to life!" Chichi called.

Vegeta and Veilah stopped just before the dragon. "Dragon!" Vegeta snapped. "I want—"

"As you wish," the Dragon bellowed loudly.

Vegeta blinked. "What! I didn't my wish yet!"

He looked down seeing those three Earthlings below him. He growled.

The Dragon's eyes shown red...

* * *

"Grandpa!" Goku gasped. "This place is amazing! It's so bright and colorful. It looks just like home!"

Indeed their little house was up on a hill, the little river that deer would drink from was not too far away.

"Yes dear boy..." Gohan said smiling.

Goku spun back around. "I get to stay here with you now right Grandpa?"

"For a little while," Gohan answered.

Goku then noticed a shimmer from inside their little house. He ran in and found exactly what he thought it was. The four star ball! Grabbing it he ran back out with hit. "Grandpa, did you know that these things grant wishes when you gather all seven? I was going to wish you back, but instead I came to you."

"You were going to wish me back?" Gohan said frowning. "Dear boy, why would waste a perfectly good wish on me?"

"Hhmm..." Goku didn't understand. "You left so suddenly, and I didn't want to lose you."

"Goku, you can't upset the natural order just because you want someone back," Gohan explained.

"But I missed you."

"I know Goku," Gohan said patting the bench next to him and Goku sat down. "Though I have lived a full life, and it was a life I was very happy with. Don't waste something like a wish on me."

"But..."

"Goku," Gohan said smiling. "When you go back to Earth, live your life. Do good for people. Make friends. Try to give the Saiyans the benefit of the doubt. After all you are saiyan. So you're proof they can't be all bad... But foremost, protect those you love and the Earth from all that may want to harm it, and one day. We'll see each other again..."

"Promise Grandpa?" Goku asked frowning.

"I promise," Gohan said smiling. "I'll be keeping an eye on you Goku."

Goku felt strange. He looked down at his hands, he was see through. "Grandpa," he seemed to understand what was happening even without Gohan explaining. He jumped off the bench to his feet turning back to him. "Goodbye Grandpa! I'll see you soon!"

Gohan's smiling face was the last image he saw before everything disappeared in an intense light.

* * *

Goku blinked his vision was strange, but upon moving he noticed their was a cloth on top of him. He pushed it off sitting up.

"Ah! Goku!" Chichi cheered running over to him. He got a glimpse of a huge Dragon before a mass of black hair covered his face.

"Wha! Chichi!" he gasped. "I'm alright, you don't have to hug me!"

But she was hugging him anyway.

"YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED!" bellowed the dragon. Another bright light and the Dragon was gone. The balls rose into the air and scattered in seven identical streaks of light. Though the dragon balls had departed the darkness didn't. Only a thin strip of light from the setting sun could be seen over the distant trees.

Puar flew back over to Yamucha looking sad. He got up and helped Bulma to her feet, and she rounded on Chichi immediately. "CHICHI!" she snapped. "That was NOT our wish!"

"I don't care!" Chichi snapped. "I wanted my Goku back!"

"Your Goku?" Goku said laughing. "Since when am I your Goku?"

"SO!"

They all jumped at the sound and turned to see Vegeta and Veilah had landed on the ground. Bulma jumped hiding behind Yamucha.

"You fools took my wish," Vegeta snapped. "And all to bring back this clown!"

Goku grinned jumping to his feet, "I'm ready to take you on again!"

"Goku you just got wished back!" Chichi pleaded. "You can't fight, I don't want to lose you again..."

"I won't lose," Goku said smiling.

Bulma pulled on Yamucha's clothes to get his attention. "Look, it's dark now, we should try and hide in the woods. It's our best shot."

"Yeah," Yamucha agreed.

"I'm not taking anyone on! I'm just going to kill all of you in one shot! This is what you get for stealing my wish!" Vegeta snapped.

"Vegeta-sama... don't forget about Frieza-sama, he could..." she stopped she had glanced up looking at orb int he sky that was the full Moon.

Vegeta had begun to power up, but he too stopped when his eyes glanced the full Moon.

"What are they doing?" Bulma asked frowning. Wasn't Vegeta going to destroy them?

"Who cares what they're doing! Now is our chance!" Yamucha said. "C'mon into the plane!"

Goku had been expecting a fight, but frowned at their peculiar behavior. "What are they doing?" he asked taking a few steps forward.

"Goku are you crazy!" Yamucha called. "Get on the ship!"

He turned around, "M'kay."

Then he too stopped, his eyes having caught the moon as well.

"Oh no, Goku's not moving like the others..." Chichi gasped.

"Seriously, what are they doing!" Bulma snapped.

Then, the three of them one by one began to change. They began to morph and get bigger... and bigger.

"We have to get out of here!" Yamucha snapped closing the door he rushed to the driver's seat and took off into the air narrowly missing the swish of one of their tails which already was almost the size of the plane. When they had flown away a safe distance they turned the ship back. Their were three giant monkey's shooting lasers from their mouths and demolishing the ruins into pebbles.

"Look at them!" she gasped. "Did you know they could do that!"

"No..." Yamucha said frowning.

"Gosh, imagine how much destruction they could do if this was a city..."

Suddenly a tree that had been pulled up roots and all came flying at them, and Yamucha only just steered them out of the way in time.

"Do you see why we should have wished them away?" Bulma asked sighing as the three of them watched the destruction from afar.

* * *

"AH! My Lord!" Seripa gasped rushing into King Vegeta's throne room. The Prince and the Princess... They changed. Their putting out all kinds of energy. Frieza noticed. His ship is heading this direction!"

"How long before he gets here?" King Vegeta gasped.

"A month at the earliest..."

"Ugh, we can't even go out there to stop them without changing too..." King Vegeta frowned folding his arms. "The moment the sun rises you and Nappa go retrieve them! We'll have to lie very low over the next month and pray Frieza doesn't come..."

"Yes my Lord..." Seripa said frowning.

* * *

When the sun rose Bulma, Yamucha and Chichi returned. "So it was the Moon afterall... Gosh... These saiyans are even more terrifying..."

Vegeta and Veilah were lying not too far away from one another. Their clothes were still intact because their armor could stretch. But Goku's clothes had tore apart and he was laying naked on one of the piles of rubble laying still as though he had just decided to lay there and nap. Yamucha took off the bandana he wore on his shoulders and covered Goku with it before picking him up and carrying him back down to the others. "He seems okay, just tired."

"AH! There are more of them!" gasped Chichi pointing into the air.

"Hurry!" Yamucha said. "Let's get out of view quick!"

They hurried into the wood-line as two more saiyans landed. Another girl and a tall bald one. They picked them up and carried them away taking off into the air.

"Just... just how many of them are there?" Bulma gasped frowning.

"Too many," Yamucha answered.

* * *

"These saiyans are causing too many problems..." Kami said from up at the lookout.

"What should we do?" Popo asked.

"They say you must fight fire with fire..." Kami explained. "These saiyans are a great evil. It will take a great evil combat them..."

"What do you intend to do?" Popo asked.

"The evil part of me that I sealed away..." Kami said frowning. "I might just have to release him..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Dragon Ball Season 1


	7. A Super Saiyan Human?

"Is this a good idea Kami?" Mr. Popo asked nervously.

"Their rule is spreading like a disease," Kami frowned as they headed into the depths of the lookout. "When I dispelled the evil from my being I trapped him in glass. I never thought I would ever release him. But this may be our only chance to save the Earth from this threat..."

He opened the door to a back room and walked over to the pedestal in the center where a tear dropped shaped glass container was resting. He reached out grabbing hold of it. "I am too old to face such a threat, but here my other self will not have aged at all... Perhaps... his time in isolation has changed him."

He threw it and it shattered on the stone floor.

From the smoke that spilled from it a Namekian stood up grinning.

"Piccolo," Kami said sternly.

"King Piccolo," he corrected. "If you get the title of God I should at least get to be a King. Or at least I will be when I take over this planet."

"As I feared... You haven't changed..." Kami sighed.

"Don't worry Kami, I'll destroy the Saiyans just as you wish. In return I'll take over the Kingdom they leave behind!" He sent a beam of energy straight at Kami. It was not enough to hurt him, he knew he couldn't do that. But when the dust cleared Piccolo was gone. Kami sighed.

"I'm sorry Kami," Mr. Popo frowned. "He hadn't changed."

"That's not exactly the problem Mr. Popo..." Kami turned to him. "Didn't you sense his power? He is not strong enough. If he fights the saiyans, he will lose."

* * *

"You're going where!?" Chichi exclaimed when Goku told her his plans upon waking up.

"I'm going to go train with Master Roshi," he explained. "These saiyans are way stronger than I thought. They knocked me out so hard I don't even remember our fight starting..."

Chichi frowned. "They didn't knock you out Goku, don't you remember? You looked at the—"

Bulma rushed forward covering her mouth. "Now now... Let's not do this. Goku doesn't need to hear the details of how he was defeated."

Chichi pushed her away, "But Bulma!"

Bulma pulled her off to the side looking cross.

"Goku will freak out if he finds out he turns into a freakish monster by the light of the full moon!" Bulma snapped. "I know I would... We can't tell him!"

"But..." Chichi glanced at Goku who was was staring at his hands opening and closing them as though trying to measure the strength of his grip. "Okay, I won't tell him."

She walked back over. "Are you really leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm going to have Master Roshi train me. He trained my Grandpa, so I'm sure I'll get stronger if he trains me. Then I'll be able to stop the saiyans, and even that Frieza guy they keep talking about."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"I don't know," Goku said shrugging. "As long as it takes."

"Hhmmm..." she frowned. "I'm coming too!"

"You want to train with him too?" he asked.

"No," she snapped sternly. "I want to stay with you dummy!"

"Well, if you want?" Goku said honestly not caring either way.

"I guess I'll start training as well," Yamucha nodded to himself making up his mind.

"Really?" Bulma asked.

"You've seen how powerful they are... It'll probably take both of us to stop them..." He turned to Goku. "Train hard kid. We'll stop these saiyans the next time we meet."

"Yeah!" Goku cheered. He turned calling for his nimbus and jumped up onto it when it arrived. "Okay Chichi, climb on if you're coming."

She did.

"Goku," Bulma said taking a piece of paper from her pocket. She wrote something on the note and handed it to him. "This is my phone number. Call me in a year and we'll all go look for the dragonballs again."

"Oh that's okay, I talked to my Grandpa when I almost got sent to Hell. He doesn't want to come back so I don't need to look for them anymore," he explained.

"Well, that's all fine and good," Bulma said. "But I figured we could use the dragon balls to wish the saiyans away."

"Why?" Goku asked. "I'm going to defeat them in a fair fight!"

"Goku," Bulma sighed. "This is serious. Even if you train, you can't beat them! We need to wish them away, and we need to do it the next time the balls regenerate."

"But that's cowardly," Goku explained. "I'll just defeat them."

"I can't explain this to you right now," Bulma frowned. "Just take my number and call me in a year... Master Roshi should have a phone. He'll show you how to use it..."

"Okay then," Goku shrugged taking the paper. "See ya later!"

With that Goku's nimbus took off.

Bulma turned to Yamucha. "Alright... go ahead and train too. But you're training to to help me get the dragon balls in a year!"

"Well, I kinda wanna fight them too. I bet I'll be on par with them within' a year..."

"You're training so that way if we run into them while looking for the dragon balls you'll be able to stop them. Or at least stall them..." she explained. "Once they're gone I'm sure I'll find my Dad..."

"Your Dad?"

Bulma nodded. "I don't think we should risk simply fighting them when we have a sure fire plan that will succeed... I can't gather the Dragon Balls on my own, and if you two fighting them fails I'll never find my Father."

"So, they took him?"

"They took a lot of scientists," Bulma explained. "My Father was just one of them..."

* * *

"Wow, look at the Fish!" Chichi exclaimed as his cloud flew over the ocean and the fish jumped up out of the water. "Hey Goku..."

"Yeah?"

"Look over there..." Chichi pointed at a small speck off in the distance.

"Huh..."

Goku couldn't tell from this far away but it looked like someone on a boat... they appeared to be in trouble.

"Let's go see who it is," Goku had Nimbus turn in the direction of the figure and when they got close they saw it was a small hairless boy on a makeshift boat, though it appeared to be sinking.

"Hi!" Goku said stopping just above him.

"Wha!" the boy jumped falling over because he hadn't expected someone flying up on a cloud.

"Looks like your boat is sinking..." Goku said obviously.

"Yeah no kidding..." the boy said frowning.

"Want a ride?"

He looked up at it questionably.

"C'mon," Goku said smiling holding out his hand, but it became quite evident that he could not sit on it.

"What is this some kind of trick?" he asked frowning.

"Um... Okay I know," Goku said. "Chichi let him climb onto your back."

"Wha! You're going to let some strange boy touch your bride?" she snapped.

"Huh?" Goku blinked at her. "Why is that bad?"

"WHY IS THAT BAD?! GOKU YOU'RE AWFUL!" She snapped pushing him off the cloud. He fell into the water, but surfaced a second later.

"What did you do that for?" he asked frowning.

"Hhmp!" she turned away frowning.

He climbed up onto the still sinking raft frowning. "Okay, you can hold onto my back and Chichi can sit up front then..."

So the boy grabbed his back and tied it to his back. Then he held onto his shoulders and Goku jumped up behind Chichi.

"There is everyone happy?" Goku asked.

The boy and Chichi nodded. "Great then let's get going!"

Nimbus took off again.

"So what's your name?" Goku asked.

"Krillin."

Goku grinned, "Krillin, that's silly."

"Silly? What's yours?"

"Goku," he explained.

"That's a lot sillier than my name..."

"So where can we drop you off at?" Chichi asked sounding a little annoyed.

"I'm going to Master Roshi's Island," Krillin explained.

"Hey, so are we!" Goku said cheerfully.

"Great," Chichi sighed frowning...

* * *

Master Roshi was watching his daily dose of girls exercising when they arrived and peeked in the window.

"Oh good he's home!" Goku said happily rushing over to the door.

"He's not even exercising..." Chichi snapped with a disapproving look. She and Krillin hurried after Goku as he approached him.

"Hi Master!" Goku said happily.

He turned to him. "Oh, Goku. What are you doing here?"

"I came here to train with you!"

"Uh, me too!" Krillin said hurrying forward to stand beside him.

"And who are you?" Master Roshi asked.

"I came from a village in the East, my name is Krillin Master," he bowed quickly. "My temple was attacked by Saiyans and I want to be a great fighter like you so that way I can protect my temple if they come back."

"Hey," Goku said cheerily. "I wanna fight the saiyans too."

"Did they destroy your home?" Krillin asked.

"No, but they hurt people, and I don't want them doing that anymore."

"Hhmm..." Master Roshi frowned he grabbed the remote and turned the TV off before getting to his feet. "The news has been discussing the saiyans more and more. Scientists going missing, people being enslaved. Are you sure you two want to take these beings on?"

"Yes!" Goku and Kirllin said together.

"How about you girl? Are you here to learn to fight as well?"

Chichi who was still standing at the door. "Uh... No, I'm just here to be with Goku..."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "The daughter of the Ox King would probably turn out to be a pretty decent fighter if she put her mind to it..."

"Um... Okay. I'll train too then," she hurried forward to stand beside Goku.

"Alright... Then do you think you're ready to learn to take on the Saiyans?"

"I'll try," she said nervously.

"Well then..." Master took a deep breath. "I'll need you three to complete a task. Something to prove that you have what it takes. Are you prepared to undergo this test?"

"Yes!" the three of them chimed together.

"Then, the three of you need to go out and find me a girl!"

"A girl?" they all frowned together.

"Yes a girl."

Goku smiled, "I found one."

He pointed at Chichi.

"No no," Master Roshi shook his head frowning. "Someone tall, skinny, very pretty, and definitely older than her."

"So, if we find this girl, you'll train us?" Goku asked.

"Of course..."

"Great, let's go! C'mon Chichi, Krillin!"

He hurried back outside to his Nimbus.

"Wait Goku," Chichi exclaimed hurrying after him. "This doesn't make any sense. How will finding a girl help any of us with martial arts?"

"You don't question the teacher Chichi," Krillin said hurrying over and jumping up hanging onto Goku's shoulders like he had done before.

"Finding a girl won't do anything, he's just being a creepy old man!" she snapped.

"Well," Goku said frowning. "You go ahead and stay her and we'll be back when we find someone."

With that Goku took off with Krillin despite Chichi's calling after him.

She stared out in the distance until she could no longer see the Nimbus cloud. "I can't believe he left me on an island with a creepy old man! Isn't he worried about me at all..." she whined.

She felt a hit on the back of her head and she turned to see Master Roshi standing there. "Who are you calling a creepy old man?" he asked.

"Well you are!"

He cracked his neck and shrugged. "I may be a creepy old man, but I am a creepy old man that only goes after women 20 and older. Now, since you didn't go help them find a girl you can begin your training with me now."

"Oh... what should I do?"

"You are going to help me pick out which shell I should wear when my date gets here."

She sighed...

* * *

"So where should we go to find a girl?" Krillin asked.

"How should I know?" Goku frowned. Thinking this will be harder than he thought.

"Well, where did you find Chichi?"

"She was being chased by a dinosaur," Goku explained bluntly.

"Well, are their any dinosaurs around here?" Krillin asked looking around. They were over land now. Cliffs were zooming by as Goku flew in and out, between and around them. They soon came upon a city.

"I bet we can find a girl down there," Krillin pointed.

They zoomed down. The town was very quiet. Not many people were walking around, but the few who were out were being very quiet.

"Oh no..." Goku frowned. The symbol at the top of the tallest building in this town was one he recognized.

"The Saiyans control this place..." Krillin frowned. "Maybe we should leave..."

"Yeah maybe..."

"NOT A CHANCE! I'M NOT GOING BACK!" shouted a girl's voice.

"Don't let her escape!"

Running around the corner was a blonde girl in a green top with yellow shorts. She had an uzi in both hands and was shooting at some men with with the Red Ribbon symbol on their chest, and the saiyan army symbol upon their backs.

She ran by them aiming shots behind her as she ran. Goku jumped off his Nimbus so he was between her and the soldiers. He pulled out his Nyoi-bo. "Stop right there!" he shouted.

And to his surprise, they did. They stopped immediately. The blonde girl stopped as well as soon as she realized she was no longer being chased. Goku blinked feeling a bit confused. Normally bad guys didn't stop just because he asked them to.

"My Lord. We're sorry. She escaped our compound..." one of the men stated after all of them bowed.

"Lord?" Goku blinked.

Krillin who had long since climbed off his back was looking just as confused.

"DIE SAIYAN!"

He suddenly felt hundreds of little bites on his back and the back of his head.

"She's trying to harm one of our Lords!" shouted one of the men rushing around Goku and pursuing her again.

Goku rubbed the back of his head. It felt sore form all the little bites.

"Why did they call you Lord?" Krillin asked.

Goku thought, and then the realization hit him. "Oh... I know. It's because of my tail."

"Tail?" Krillin looked down. He had seen it before but thought maybe it was fake or something.

"Yeah, saiyans have tails," Goku explained. "Didn't you see one? I thought you said they attacked your home?"

"They attacked while I was away, so I didn't actually see them. So you're saying Saiyans have tails? Then, how do you have one?" Krillin asked.

"Well... technically. I'm a saiyan," he admitted.

"WHAT!? You're a saiyan! Really!?" Krillin gasped.

"Yeah," Goku put his power pole back in it's holder. "C'mon we gotta help that girl."

He took off, but Krillin didn't follow. Goku stopped when he didn't hear his footsteps following. "Are you coming Krillin?"

"No way, I'm not helping a Saiyan do anything!" he snapped.

Goku frowned staring at him a second. "Fine," he said hurrying off.

* * *

Vegeta walked over to Seripa who was looking at their U Verse scouter.

"Is he still coming?"

"He seems to have stopped," she explained. "But as for more bad news, Lord Cooler is on our Radar now as well. The two of them seem to be heading towards one another. I guess they're meeting for some reason."

"As long as they are within' range to pick us up, no one goes outside," Vegeta ordered.

"Yes Sir," Seripa bowed. "What about the continued concurring of Earth?"

"We'll have to leave it to those red ribbon soldiers for now. They have have sworn allegiance to us, and these humans are far too cowardly to disobey us."

"The sooner we concur the rest of this planet, the sooner we can start building our own armies to combat Frieza's," Veilah smiled walking over to Vegeta. "Right?"

"We also need to find that clown! He could set off Frieza's radar and alert him to our presence and we CANNOT risk him coming here until I gain immortality."

"If he's not already coming," Seripa sighed. "He started heading our direction and only stopped when Lord Cooler was detected. I can't figure out if he picked us up or if he was simply heading to meet up with Lord Cooler."

"Your highness, how are you going to gain immortality now? The Dragon Balls were used already. They're gone," Veilah frowned.

"Make the slaves start building us a ship. Something bigger than our pods. Those Dragon Balls can't be the only ones in the universe. We'll find more, as soon as we get a radar built. Get all the scientists we captured on that immediately..."

"Yes your Highness!" Veilah smiled. Her husband was truly something.

* * *

It didn't take Goku hardly any time to knock out the Red Ribbon soldiers, but that didn't make this girl any happier about his being a Saiyan. She immediately started attempting to shoot him again. He ran around the corner to avoid the bitey stones that were shooting out of the things she was holding. It didn't really cause him injury but it sure did hurt when those things bit you.

"Wait, you can stop. I'm not going to hurt you," Goku tried to explain.

Just then a gust of wind blew and strands of her hair tickled her nose making her sneeze. ACHOO!

The bullets stopped and Goku peeked around the corner. Their was a new girl sitting on the ground. She had dark blue hair and eyes and looked very confused.

Goku took a few tentative steps towards her, and she turned to him spotting his tail to which she instantly began to cry.

"Uh, wait... You don't have to cry. I'm not going to—" Goku frowned.

Krillin suddenly emerged around the corner as well. "You don't have to cry miss," he said smiling. "Say, how about you come with me. I know somewhere you can go where the Saiyans won't hurt you."

"What about that one?" she said sniffing.

Goku turned back to Goku. "Don't worry, I can take him."

Goku's frown deepened.

The girl got to her feet looking worried, and Krillin smiled. "Looks like I found a girl for our Master," he announced proudly.

"Whatever," Goku said frowning. "Let's go back."

* * *

When they arrived back Chichi ran up to him.

"Goku you're back! Were you worried about me?" she asked hugging him tightly.

"Why would I be worried about you?" Goku asked blinking prying her off and looking somewhat annoyed.

"Because I'm your bride..." she frowned. "And we were apart."

Goku frowned. "Why would that make me worried... Were you in trouble or something?"

Chichi instantly looked upset and Goku tried to figure out why she was so angry... But he couldn't. Girls were weird...

Launch climbed off the cloud as well looking around the island. Master Roshi came out of the house looked her up and down and grinned.

"Heeeelllllo!" he said grinning from ear to ear.

She took one look at him and suddenly started crying.

Twenty minutes later they were all sitting in the living room of Master Roshi's tiny house, as the girl they came to learn was named Launch recounted her ordeal to them tearfully.

"You were captured by the saiyans!" Chichi gasped.

"Uh-huh, they kidnapped me a few years ago. They're trying to create some legendary transformation. Something called Super Saiyan," she explained. "I heard the scientist talk about it. The Saiyans wanted a way to achieve this transformation, and so they were making the scientists create an invention in order to achieve it and they are testing it on people like me..."

"What is this transformation?" Krillin asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but they said that it makes your hair go blonde and gives you strength and power. The scientists weren't doing a very good job at creating what the saiyans wanted, because one of them came a few weeks ago and killed the head scientist in charge of the project. The very first chance I could I escaped but because of their experiments, when I sneeze my hair turns blonde and I get very violent..." she admitted blowing her nose in the tissue Master Roshi had handed her.

"Oh you poor dear," Master Roshi said patting her hand lightly.

"Speaking of Saiyans," Krillin said turning to Master Roshi. "Master, did you know that Goku's a saiyan. I'm not sure he should be sitting here with us especially after what Launch went through."

Chichi suddenly looked very upset, but before she could say anything Master Roshi had hit him over the head with his staff without turning his eyes away from Launch.

"Ow! Master what was that for...?" he frowned.

"You should judge others on their character. Not their race," he explained. Again without looking at Krillin. He suddenly got to his feet taking Launch's hand he started to lead her to the bathroom. "You have been through a terrible ordeal miss. How about I draw you a nice warm bath and—"

His voice trailed away as they left and Krillin turned to Goku frowning. "Well I don't care what anyone says. I bet you're a saiyan spy!"

"How dare you! My Goku is not a spy! He was killed by a saiyan so of course he's not working for them!" she yelled furiously.

"He looks pretty alive to me..." Krillin eyed him.

"Krillin! Bring me some towels! Launch is going to take a bath!" Master Roshi called rather excitedly.

"Coming Master!" Krillin hurried off to help.

"I can't believe him," Chichi frowned, but Goku only smiled.

"It's alright Chichi..." Goku said getting to his feet. "Sometimes you have to earn someone's trust. I'll earn Krillin's. It's just going to take some time."

With that said Goku hurried off to the kitchen to look for food and Chichi eyed his tail as he hurried to the kitchen.

With that tail, everyone will know Goku's a saiyan automatically... She frowned. Everyone is going to assume he's bad. She felt a small twinge of loneliness for Goku and shaking her head she jumped to her feet. NO! She thought. I will make sure my Goku is never lonely. That's the mark of a good wife!

With that she hurried off to the kitchen after him.


	8. The Saiyan's Tournament

While Master Roshi was trying to catch some of his late night *cough* shows. He flipped on the TV, but instead of turning it to his usual channel, the news station caught his eye. He originally stayed on the channel because the news girl caught his eye, but what she was talking about kept him there.

"The King of Nations has asked that if you currently reside in any lands claimed by the saiyans, that you should evacuate immediately, if you can! He and the government are doing everything they can to resolve the situation and make peace with the invaders. However, a statement was issued by their King not too long ago stating that they are in charge now and if you wish to live serve them without question.. However, our King of Nations has stressed that they will stop them just as soon as their armies can be mobilized. Let us hope he is right."

"Hhmmm..." Master Roshi frowned... "They're gaining more control, especially if they have the King of Nations involved..."

They didn't really have a hope though, he knew that. In fact, he was fairly certain the only possible way they could win would be by fighting fire with fire... He leaned back in his seat. Goku was a saiyan as well, but he wasn't powerful enough to face them. Not even a little bit...

Those other two were only human, however, Master Roshi felt they had great potential. If trained right, they might be able to take on a few saiyans as well.

"We received reports that the Red Ribbon Army (an armada well known for aiding the saiyans) have take over Yanyu City, we are advising anyone in the vicinity to evacuate, and if you are in that city itself, escape if you can."

"That's not far from here..." Master Roshi's frown deepened. "I'm gonna have to take those kids somewhere where they won't be found. We won't have a chance if they're killed before they get strong enough..."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Chichi asked when Master Roshi had the entire household get outside.

"We are taking an extra special training trip," Master Roshi lied. He clicked a button on his house and it shrunk in a puff of smoke down into a capsule. Goku was still amazed how houses could just do that...

"A Training Trip?" Krillin repeated. "Oh boy!"

Master Roshi took out a small box and put the house capsule in it. Then he took out another, hit the button, and threw it.

PUUUUFFF!

A small boat appeared. "Alright, everyone... Get in."

The kids climbed into the back seat while Launch and Master Roshi got in front. "Well, let's go..."

Their boat ride took longer than the kids expected. It even got to a point where Chichi and Krillin started arguing in the back seat and Master Roshi turned around saying, "Don't make me come back there!"

"Look out!" Launch gasped and Master Roshi had to swerve quickly to avoid a small rock cluster out in the middle of nowhere and then he stopped the boat to lecture them on the importance of not distracting the driver.

A few hours later Master Roshi pulled up onto the bank of a island. He climbed out cracking his neck. "That took longer than I thought..."

"Where are we?" Launch asked.

"A deserted island my dear. No one around for miles and miles..." he pointed out.

"Master? Why did we go all the way out here?" Krillin asked.

"Is their really dessert on this island?" Goku wondered climbing out of the boat.

"No Goku," Master Roshi turned to them. "This is an uninhabited island. The Saiyan's armies were attacking a nearby city. So we wouldn't be spotted by them, I moved us out here. I've been noticing that the Saiyans appear to be concurring big places with many people. We needed to go somewhere where we could be left unnoticed..."

"So..." Chichi frowned. "So we ran away?"

"Their is no shame in running away, as long as you go back later to fight again..." he explained. "What you don't want to ever do is give up. So, sometimes running away is necessary... It only turns into giving up when you don't return... This is perhaps your first and most important lesson... Do you understand?"

"Yes!" the three exclaimed together.

"I have every bit of confidence that you three can take on the saiyans, but it will take many years of dedication and hard work," Master Roshi explained. "Being captured or killed before you're strong enough will destroy our chances of stopping their reign. So if you do happen to run into a saiyan you are not to engage in battle with them, or even approach them. Should you see one I want you to hide. You will not fight them until I say you're ready. Understood?"

"Yes!" they exclaimed again.

"Now you will promise me... And warriors do not break their promises," Master Roshi said. "Only if you promise me will I train you..."

"I promise!" they exclaimed again, only... not all of them took part in this exclamation.

Goku had remained silent, and he eyed Master Roshi with a frown.

"Well Goku?" Master Roshi said turning to him. "Do you promise?"

"...What if... What if they're hurting someone..." he said frowning thinking of Vegeta when he said this.

"The circumstances don't matter..."

"But what if it's you, or Chichi, or Krillin, or Launch..."

"Goku," he frowned. "You are a good boy, with a kind heart. Despite being saiyan you do not like to see people be hurt... I understand that. But this is a promise I need to hear or I will not train you..."

Goku looked down at the ground. His Grandpa Gohan's words were so loud in his ears.

_Protect those you love and the Earth from all that may harm it._

How could he make this promise and do as his Grandfather told him...

"Okay Master," he said looking up after he had made his decision. "I promise."

"Alright then... Today we will begin our training," he turned to Launch. "I don't suppose you can cook at all?"

"I'm an excellent cook!" she smiled upon being addressed.

"Then how about you make us all something delicious we will be back around noon so take your time."

"Okay!"

"Now follow me," Master Roshi said and he started to lead them around the island at a quick pace.

* * *

Their training was more difficult than they had anticipated. Even for Goku, who, by the end of it was out of breath just like Krillin and Chichi. It consisted of running around the entire island. However, their was a very specific path you had to follow and each time you went you had to do something different. Like the first time around you could just run. But the second time you had to lift your knees very high. The third time you had to carry a heavy rock. The paths were treacherous. Sometimes over fields, sometimes through sand, sometimes across water.

Krillin was scolded for cheating at one point during their training, and Chichi was scolded for complaining to Goku about how heavy the rock was that she had to carry, and this if Goku were a gentleman he would carry it for her. Goku wasn't sure what a gentleman was, but from Chichi's tone he got the impression that it was something he should be ashamed of not being. So in the end he offered carried it for her. He did this two training days straight until Master Roshi found out and then made Chichi carry his rock for two training days straight.

When she got across with the first one (barely), she began crying saying that Master Roshi shouldn't treat girls this way.

"Do you want to train with Goku?" Master Roshi asked frowning after Goku went on again with his rock, and before Chichi was forced to go back for hers.

"Yes..." she said whining.

"Well, all my pupils do the same training, regardless of gender," Master Roshi explained.

"But I'm a girl and that rock is heavy!" she cried. "Girls aren't as strong as boys. My training should be easier..."

He thought for a moment, and knowing people were motivated by different things he stated, "Chichi... Do you think Goku wants a strong wife or a weak one?"

She stopped mid cry to look at the old man.

"Um... he... I think he... He would want a strong wife..."

"Then shouldn't you give your all to this training in order to be a strong wife for Goku?"

"Uh..." She frowned.

"Now, do you want to be a little girl forever, or do you want to be a strong wife for Goku? If your choice is the first," he said hopping off the rock he was sitting on. "Then I will swim across and get your rock for you so you can continue on your way."

Her frown deepened. "No," she said. "I'll go get the rock."

With that said she jumped back in the water and Master Roshi stood their silently congratulating himself on motivating her.

* * *

"Oh that's so cute," Veilah said smiling as she walked into King Vegeta's throne room.

"So cute?" King Vegeta repeated questioning her choice of words with a raised eyebrow.

She hopped up on the table to the right of his throne chair grabbing a bowl of grapes munching one. "One of the slaves was talking about something they call a world martial arts tournament. Every five years it determines the strongest person on Earth. Can you believe creatures _this_ weak, actually bother with trying to determine who is the strongest?"

"Well," King Vegeta reached up scratching his beard in thought. "That gives me an idea..."

"Oh? What idea my Lord?"

"We need to build up our armies for when we take on Frieza," he explained. "Until a space fleet can be built we won't be able to add more powerful creatures to our army. So the humans will have to do for now, and if this tournament really does choose the strongest among them. We'll know exactly which humans are strong enough to be apart of our army, and which ones will simply remain slaves..."

"So you actually want to hold their little tournament..." she asked.

"Yes, tell my son that the first tournament will be held at the end of this year. He will be the last challenger. Let the humans know, and promise freedom for them and their families should they win. However, if they lose, they must join the Red Ribbon army that we recently acquired..."

"Make the humans fight in a tournament they don't have any hope of winning, and forcing them to be soldiers if they lose?" she said smiling. "Devious... I'll let our Prince know..."

* * *

Every week Master Roshi would add another lap to their training and make the next lap more difficult by adding some weird rule they had to follow. However, quite a few weeks in Master Roshi said they could return to their normal training schedule of simply running around the island.

They cheered at that thinking it would be a nice break for them. Until...

Master Roshi went over to his closet and pulled out three 80 pound turtle shells. "You will run tomorrow with these on your backs, and just like before every day we'll add another lap and something new. However, from now until I tell you, you are not to take these off. Even when you sleep..."

"Wha! We have to leave them on all the time?" Chichi gasped.

"Their is no point repeating it, it won't make it untrue..." he explained.

And thus they continued once again going through weeks and weeks of intense training.

* * *

When news of the tournament hit Bulma's town she excitedly rush home, but one of the Red Ribbon guys commanded that she slow down. Her town had turned into a living hell since the Red Ribbon guys had shown up to claim it. So far they hadn't seen any saiyans arrive, but everyone knew that the RR solders were reporting straight to them. She slowed her pace but continued to hurry home. Surely, if they were to win, they would give her father back to her... She had rushed over to Yamucha the moment she heard about it. He had already been training to face them again so he was fighting in a large auditorium at Bulma's house.

"Yamucha!" she exclaimed rushing inside a wide grin on her face. "The saiyans are holding the World's Martial Arts tournament this year, and to the winner, they and their families get to go free! Isn't it wonderful!"

Yamucha wiped his forehead turning to her. "Bulma, I hate to bust your bubble, but it's a lie..."

"Huh?" Bulma frowned. "No it isn't. I just heard it."

"Yes it is, their is no way the saiyans would be that kind after the things we've heard them do..." Yamucha said. He had been a bit of hero to her City. Saving people who were in danger from RR soldiers and occasionally traveling out of it's borders to help others. Often he had tales of the saiyan's cruelty to tell her, and more than one story had made her cry. "Trust me, every one of these saiyans are cold unfeeling monsters and nothing is going to make them change. The odds of them doing something nice like setting someone free is one in a trillion..."

"But..."

"No Bulma... We'll stop these saiyans, I promise," he said. "It won't be in a tournament either. It will be in a one on one brawl between me and them. I will kill them all and make this place safe for you... For us..."

He kissed her forehead before returning to train.

"They can't be all bad," Bulma frowned thinking about Goku...

* * *

Throughout their training Krillin would occasionally make small remarks about Goku's being a saiyan, and most of the time he just brushed them off. However on this particular day Krillin said something that hit him rather strongly.

"My Mother was the nicest woman in the whole world!" Chichi said. On this particular night she was talking about family. "She passed away some time ago, but... I know she's still with me. What was your Mother like Goku?"

"Uh... I've never had one..."

Luanch who had been putting away the dishes she had just washed stopped upon hearing that and turned to glance back at the children.

"Never?" Chichi frowned. "But that's silly. Of course you had to have had one..."

"Goku doesn't have a Mother because he's a saiyan and probably ate her in his sleep." Krillin stated as he walked by Chichi. Chichi, who insisted on putting her sleeping mat by Goku had slept beside him every night since they had arrived and she rolled over jumping off her mat and began to chase Krillin upstairs where he usually slept (since he was afraid of being near Goku while he slept).

Goku felt the smile fall from his face, and Launch looked sad. Goku didn't often look downhearted like that... After Chichi had fallen asleep he walked outside and sat on the step of the Kame house thinking. It wasn't as though this thing was the worst thing he had ever said, but it was more the amount of times he had said it. Goku was starting to think that maybe something really was wrong with him, or maybe... their was a reason why people should be afraid of him...

He wasn't sure how long he had sat there in his little pool of self doubt, but at one point in the night Launch opened the door. "Oh, there you are Goku..." she said sitting down next to him. "What are you doing out here?"

He looked up at her. "Launch..." he said frowning. "Were the saiyans really awful to you?"

"Well, I was in a lab where the humans were doing experiments on me. I didn't see the saiyans that often, but... I heard some terrible stories..."

"Oh..."

"Why? What's wrong Goku?"

"Krillin keeps talking about how bad the saiyans are... and... I'm starting to believe him..."

"He is right, the saiyans are bad," she explained.

Goku felt his chest sink a little.

"But you know, humans are bad too. Humans do cruel things everyday. The days I spent in that lab were some of the worst in my whole life, and the things that were done to me were done by humans. I even saw the Red Ribbon soldiers bring in a whole truck load of small children for experimentation. I remember pair of twins who cried horrifically when the scientists forced them away from the others. They were fraternal twins with black and blonde hair and I just felt so terrible for them. I watched over them when all the experiments were crammed into one tiny cell. One day they took them away and I never saw them again... It was just awful, and that was the work of humans."

"Oh..."

"But you know, Krillin doesn't go around making fun of Chichi about how cruel humans are. Because he is one, and people rarely ever show fault in a characteristic they share with someone else," she said smiling. "Basically what I'm trying to tell you is every race, every culture, every religion has people who are good and bad. To fault an entire group for what a handful are doing is wrong. You are a saiyan Goku, but you are also one of the nicest and kindest boys I've ever known."

Goku blinked up at her. "Really?"

"Really," she said hugging him.

"I think you're really nice too Launch," Goku said smiling. "You know, for a human."

They both shared a laugh and then Launch got to her feet. "You know Goku... I heard what Krillin said, about your Mother."

"Oh?"

"If you wouldn't mind. I would be happy to be your Mother," she said smiling. "Then if Krillin ever teases you about it again, you can tell him you have one, and it's me."

"Really!"

"Of course, I pretty much am already since I take care of you," she pointed out.

"Okay," Goku said.

"It's settled then," she smiled. "From now on you can call me Okaa-san, alright?"

"Okaa-san," he repeated and he admitted, he liked the sound.

* * *

"I am very proud of you kids. You have worked very hard," Master Roshi said over dinner some months later.

They all smirked, appreciating the praise and feeling accomplished.

"However, I don't think, you kids are ready for the tournament..."

"Tournament?" Goku asked raising an eyebrow.

"I thought they weren't going to hold that no more since the saiyans were taking over..." Krillin frowned.

"The saiyans are hosting this tournament..." he explained.

Like a good audience, they gasped at the right moment.

"They're promising freedom to whoever can beat their soldiers."

"But... They wouldn't do that," Chichi exclaimed frowning. "That has to be a trick..."

"I'm certain it is. Which is why we will go, but only to observe..." He took a swig of his beer leaning back in his chair surveying the three faces that might very well be their only hope. "You're not quite ready, and fighting them too soon will be catastrophic. We'll size them up, and that way I'll be able to determine just how much more you kids need to train..."

"Then uh... shouldn't we just stay here..." Krillin said nervously.

"I want you to see it. Their is knowledge to be gained through observation. So we will go and observe. We will not go there to fight. Do you understand me Goku?"

Goku frowned from being singled out, but he nodded. "Yes Master..."


End file.
